


My Name's Severus

by Silverfox



Series: My Name's Severus [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-14 11:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 99,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15388071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverfox/pseuds/Silverfox
Summary: 15 year old Severus Snape and 15 year old Draco Malfoy. Can Hogwarts cope?





	1. An accident in potions class has consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer 1: This is fanfic. That means I do not own any of it. I just borrow it to play with for a little while and let people see the pathetic results if they really want to.
> 
> Disclaimer 2: I'm not making any money from it. It's just for fun.
> 
> Disclaimer 3: What isn't borrowed is all made up. None of this is real or most likely at all realistic. Please don't trust any of the information in here. Most likely you know more about whatever I'm writing about than I do.
> 
> Disclaimer 4: Attitudes, views and opinions expressed by the characters or in the story are not necessarily those of the author. Even when writing Science Fiction or Fantasy I do not tend to attempt to create perfect/better worlds in which everybody gets a happy end ... or whatever is best for them. Please accept that some characters will have a bad ending or be unhappy.
> 
> Disclaimer 5: I intend no insult to anyone. If I offend anyone I'm very sorry. Please understand that it was an accident as I tend to be very clumsy in these things.
> 
> Disclaimer 6: Draco drawing dragons belongs to PikaCheeka.  
> Disclaimer 7: Severus' raven belongs to J. L. Matthews. I just borrowed him because he's such a perfect pet for Sevi and promise to return him unharmed.  
> The catar however are all mine and I love them so please don't use without asking me first.
> 
> A/N - Well, I just thought it would be nice to read a story where Draco and Severus meet as equals and suddenly this jumped into my head and demanded to be written!  
> Those of you who speak Spanish can read Daga's Spanish translation of this fic at http://www.galeon.com/sietepilares/fanfics.htm

Chapter 1: An accident in potions class has consequences

 

Neville Longbottom was staring at the spider legs on his desk. When was he to put spider legs into this potion? How many spider legs was he to put into this potion? Was he to put spider legs into this potion, at all?

He couldn't remember. Neville always tended to forget the most important things and when he was scared it only got worse.

And right now Neville wasn't only scared he was terrified. He always was in potions class. He was terrified of making a mistake and failing potions. He was terrified of what might happen to him if another one of his potions blew up (last time he had been knocked into the next desk and had almost broken his arm.). He was terrified of the Slytherins in class. (This year it was even worse than it had been in the last four years: Now the Gryffindors even had transfigurations with the Slytherins!) But most of all Neville was terrified of Professor Snape.

Oh what to do if Snape caught him making another mistake! What horrible things might Snape do or say? Neville was trembling all over at the thought.

Spider legs now, later or not at all? Well, since they were on his desk they had to be ingredients for his potion, he decided.

So, now or later? Well, he had to put them in sometime. Might as well now! It probably didn't matter at all when.

But how many to use? He decided to simply use them all. His potion wouldn't work anyway. None of his potions ever did.

'God, please don't let it blow up!' he thought as he mustered all his courage and threw the spider legs into the bubbling green liquid in his cauldron.

There! Had that been right? Or should he probably have cut them first?!

Neville stared at his cauldron as if trying to hypnotise his potion. 'Please, please, don't blow up! Do anything, but don't blow up!'

Neville's potion obliged. It slowly turned white and clear as water.

Was that supposed to happen? Neville cast a quick glance through the room. Everyone else's potions were green! Oh no! And Snape was heading his way eyes gleaming.

Neville's knees felt weak, his legs were shaking uncontrollably. He grabbed the desk for support.

"Why, Longbottom!" sneered Snape "Whatever is that colour?"

'Please somebody, save me!' screamed Neville's thoughts as Professor Snape reached his desk. Again the potion obliged!

A small white whirl appeared inside the cauldron growing and growing.

Neville hastily stumbled back as Snape closed in staring at the potion.

"Whatever did you do, Longbottom? I have never seen a healing potion do anything like this before!"

"I..I..I d...d..don't k..k..know s...s..sir." managed Neville in an almost inaudible whisper.

Everyone was staring at the potion. The whirl now filled the entire cauldron turning the potion a milky white. Loud bubbling and hissing could be heard.

Several of the other pupils began to withdraw, suspecting another explosion a la Neville to follow shortly.

Snape probably harbouring similar doubts extinguished the fire under the cauldron with a wave of his wand.

Too late! With a resounding boom Neville's cauldron shattered into a thousand little pieces dousing Snape with the mysterious potion.

Snape screamed in pain as the potion burned into his skin.

Neville whimpered in fear. Oh no! His potion had hurt the most unpleasant person in Hogwarts! Neville thought he was as good as dead!

The other pupils stared on in horror: the Slytherins fearing for Snape's, the Gryffindors for Neville's health. Some of the more courageous slowly edged closer to help.

Snape still in obvious pain caught himself at that sight. "No, don't touch that! I don't know what it does, but it definitely does something. Clean up the room and this mess, but mind you don't touch the potion! Then take the rest of the lesson off to study. No homework!" With this he turned and walked out of the classroom.

The fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins stared after him.

"No homework?" repeated Harry Potter, not believing his ears.

"No homework." answered Draco Malfoy staring incredulously at his rival, forgetting in his surprise how much he disliked Harry.

Giving no homework was so unusual for Snape that it took them almost five minutes to simply accept the fact that it had happened.

"He must be hurt bad to just rush out like that." remarked Hermione when they finally began to clean up as Snape had told them to.

"Maybe we ought to go up to the hospital wing and check if he's alright?" suggested Harry.

"Check if he's alright!" echoed Ron horrified. "Harry, that's Snape we're talking about! Who gives a damn if he's alright? I sure hope it kills him!"

"I don't think it will." mused Hermione. "The potion was still hot from the fire. It probably just burned him very badly."

"But he said that it was doing something!" sobbed Neville still fearing Snape's revenge.

"Aw Neville, he'll be alright." answered Harry "As soon as the potion wears off he'll have nothing more than a bad sunburn."

"What if it doesn't wear off?" squeaked Neville trembling once more.

"Of course it will!" declared Ron "All potions do! Don't they, Hermione?"

"Actually no! The healing potions we were making for example would be absolutely useless if they did. It is therefore quite possible that Neville's potion, whatever it is, requires an antidote."

Neville began to cry at this, while Ron jumped up thrusting a fist into the air and screamed: "Yes! We could be without a potions teacher for almost a month if they take their time finding an antidote!" But the rest of the Gryffindors did not share his enthusiasm. They were far too busy trying to calm down Neville.

The Slytherins on the other side of the room had come to similar conclusions, but unlike the Gryffindors they were rather worried by them. Snape was head of Slytherin, after all. What would happen to their house if he didn't recover quickly?

Therefore as soon as the potions dungeon had been cleaned up and the Gryffindors had happily run off (except possibly for Hermione definitely not to study) the Slytherins headed up to the hospital wing to find out what had happened to their teacher.

They didn't get far however. Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let them in! Not all of them! No, not even one of them! No she was not gonna tell them what was wrong with Snape! No she didn't think he would be teaching tomorrow!

And then she simply shut the door on them. They kept knocking for a while, but she ignored them.

She simply didn't know what to tell them and she had a more pressing problem on her hands right now. Neville Longbottom, it seemed, had accidentally invented a youth potion. Severus Snape was getting younger and younger and she had so far been unable to do anything about it. She had tried charms, potions and combinations of both, but nothing had had any effect.

Madame Pomfrey was seriously worried that the process might kill Snape and even if it didn't it still seemed to be quite painful. Severus wasn't complaining though. He was going over her store of potion ingredients, trying to come up with some concoction they hadn't tried jet.

Suddenly he turned, grabbed a book from it's shelve and came over to where she was still standing near the door.

"Here" he said surprisingly calm under the circumstances. "I think this might work."

She stared at the recipe in the book. He was right. It might work, but there wasn't much time left to do it and if it didn't work ...

 

Several hours later Madame Pomfrey was sitting in the headmaster's office, where an emergency staff meeting had been called on her insistence.

As she tried to explain what had happened to Severus Snape she definitely wished she were somewhere, anywhere, else. She felt like she had failed them! All of them, not just Severus, but most of all Dumbledore! She knew that the headmaster regarded Severus as a close friend, though how anyone could actually like the potions teacher was normally beyond her. Right now she would probably have hugged him, if by some miracle he had walked into the room save and sound.

"But you say you were able to stop the process, Poppy?" inquired Dumbledore his normally happily twinkling eyes showing nothing but worry.

"Yes Albus, but I have absolutely no idea how it might be reversed!" Oh how she hated to disappoint everybody!

"Are you absolutely sure it has stopped? He is in no danger?"

"There has been no more change in him since he took that last potion we made and it has been over three hours. Either the medicine was effective or that potion just wore off on its own, I can't tell. But I don't know - I have absolutely no idea how to turn him back!" she was nearly crying now.

Dumbledore however seemed to be feeling a little more hopeful. "Now, now , Poppy!" he said soothingly, "If he is in no more danger we have enough time to come up with a solution. You did manage to save his life and I dare say that was no small feat considering you had no idea whatever that potion was. I suggest we start right there in our search for the antidote. Let's call Mr. Longbottom up here and ask him just how he made that potion."

"I'll go and get him!" offered Professor Sprout. "He ought to be in the greenhouse right now. - He just loves to help me tend to the plants." she added at everybody's surprised glances.

"But Albus, it might take weeks to find that antidote!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "Who's to teach potions and watch the Slytherins in the meantime?"

"Well," said Dumbledore, twinkle already back in his eyes. "it appears I shall have to take that upon myself."

Madame Pomfrey remembered well the time when Dumbledore had been head of Gryffindor and how much he had enjoyed his duties, but ...

"Albus," she said tentatively "you are aware that the Slytherins aren't the Gryffindors, are you? They are much more difficult to handle, so much more volatile, distrustful and aggressive. And most of them do not exactly like you, you know. They still see you as a Gryffindor and therefore an enemy."

"Don't worry, Poppy! I'll be able to handle them for a little while. It can't be that difficult! Severus always had them well in hand and he isn't exactly good with people, is he?"

Madame Pomfrey had to agree with that, but still there was that annoying little voice in her head that reminded her how different Dumbledore was from Snape and if not they had sometimes underestimated the potion master's skill at handling the most difficult of houses.

"Speaking of Severus," interjected Professor McGonagall, "What are we going to do with him? We can't just leave him locked up in the hospital wing for who knows how long!"

"Well," Dumbledore hesitated for a moment. "Just how old is he right now, Poppy?"

"How old? That potion didn't give any dates! How should I know?"

"A rough estimate will suffice, Poppy." said Dumbledore gently.

"Hm, he looks about twelve or thirteen, but remembering how small he was as a boy I'd say more likely fourteen to fifteen. Does that help you in any way?"

"In that case we'll just put him with the fifth year's Slytherins." decided Dumbledore, "He'll fit right in with them. I bet he'll be having a lot of fun reliving his childhood!"

"Albus!" shrieked Professor McGonagall to everyone's surprise. "You can't mean to have him attend classes!"

"Why of course I do! A little brush up course can't harm him. Let's just see how much he has forgotten over the years!" Dumbledore giggled.

"But Albus!" insisted McGonagall "Don't you remember what fifteen-year-old Severus was like! Him in one class with Harry, Hermione, the Malfoy boy and Neville Longbottom! It will be like teaching in a mad-house! Albus, don't do that to me! I beg you!"

"Minerva, calm down. He wasn't all that bad. He won't be the same boy he was then. Harry isn't James and Sirius Black isn't around. And if I remember correctly transfiguration was his weakest subject anyhow. Just keep him busy with difficult tasks and he won't be any trouble at all."

"Well, I might actually teach him some basic transfigurations, after all." mused Professor McGonagall "I had completely given up any hope of that ever happening, you know."

"But what about flying lessons?" asked Madame Hootch "Do you remember all the damages he caused in flying lessons? We are already short on brooms thanks to Neville! I don't need another Neville in my class!"

"I have to admit, that might get expensive." sighed Dumbledore. "Very well, he will be excused from flying lessons. After all the quiddich players are, too."

"If he was so bad at school" asked Flitwick surprised "How come he got to be a teacher at all?"

"Oh he may have been terrible at transfigurations and flying, but he was always way ahead of his class in all other subjects. He was worse than Hermione at times, you know." smiled Dumbledore obviously lost in memories.

At that moment Professor Sprout returned, a very frightened Neville in tow. Upon hearing exactly what his potion had done to Professor Snape Neville began to cry and plead that it had all been an accident. They had to calm him down before he could tell them anything and then what he had to say wasn't very productive. It seemed he couldn't really remember what ingredients he had put into the potion let alone in what order and quantities.

In the end it was decided to ask for help from the potions teachers at Beaubattons and Durmstrang.

Severus was to stay in the hospital wing for two days until his burns were healed and then to move into the Slytherin fifth-years boy's dormitory where another bed would be added for him.

Neville fled from the headmaster's office with a tale to tell his friends that soon spread like wildfire through all of Hogwarts.

 

"Do you realise this means we got a teacher in our dorm?" growled Blaise Zabini as they were walking back towards their common room after their last lesson on Friday.

"It won't be for all that long, Blaise!" Draco tried to calm him down, trying to get him out of his bad mood. Zabini was a nuisance most of the time, but Draco rarely found anyone else to talk to. At least nobody who actually understood what he was thinking or feeling. Not that Blaise understood much about feelings. He was just more intelligent than Crabbe and Goyle which made him Draco's confident by default. 'I wish I had a real friend!' he thought. 'Someone whom I can tell what's really on my mind, someone who understands.'

"We're gonna have to behave 24-7!" complained Blaise. "Bet he'll tell on us when we stay up after ten at night! Or copy homework!"

"Yeah, we wont even be able to pick fights, till he's gone!" added Vincent Crabbe glumly.

"Maybe we ought to beat him up!" suggested Greggory Goyle.

Fighting and beating people up was Vincent and Gregory's favourite hobby. Actually Draco didn't know of any other hobbies either of the two had. Well, that was why he kept them around, after all. They did make great bodyguards, even if they weren't all that stimulating intellectuality wise.

"I think we'd better just behave and wait till he leaves." he explained. "He'd just tell Dumbledore if we harmed him in any way. Then we'd be in real trouble."

That prospect shut up Vincent and Gregory, but Blaise was still looking for some way to vent his anger.

"Let's at least demonstrate that he isn't welcome!" he said. "You know, just be unfriendly and sort! You're good at that, Draco! You can show him!"

"Yeah, maybe!" Draco always had a way with insults and usually enjoyed such things greatly, but somehow this time he wasn't looking forward to a chance to display his talent. He had to think of all the times Snape had let him off the hook after picking fights with Potter and his consorts, forgetting to do homework or simply arriving late for class.

Snape favoured Draco more even than he did the rest of the Slytherins. The entire school knew it, but Snape never seemed to care what they thought. Draco had heard them whisper behind his back, saying that Snape did it to suck up to his father or that Lucius somehow blackmailed him into doing it.

Draco never commented on those rumours. Nobody knew better than him how untrue they were. Lucius Malfoy hated Snape with a passion, though Draco didn't exactly know why, and wished nothing more of Snape than to stay as far as possible away from his only son.

No, Draco had no idea why Snape seemed to like him so much, but he did find it somewhat endearing. What! Was he actually beginning to like a teacher? No way! What was he thinking?

"I wonder if he's already up there." he said as they entered the common room and began to climb up the stairs towards their dorm. 'Wonder, too, what he looks like.' he thought.

Indeed a small boy was curled up on the fifth bed that had been put into the room, much to Vincent and Greggory's annoyance, who used to use the spare room for their frequent wrestling matches. ('Training' they called it.) He must have been reading, for he had a large book in his hands, but stopped and sat up as they entered.

The four Slytherins stood in the door sizing him up for a moment. He was small! Very small in fact! Maybe even smaller than Draco, who along with Harry Potter was the smallest kid in their year.

Seeing that, Gregory, by far the largest boy in class, got bold and walked into the room stopping just in front of the boy arms folded. He grinned and borrowing a page from Draco's book asked mockingly: "So, what do we call you? Minni Prof?"

The others broke into laughter.

The boy however did not even flinch. He stared up at Gregory face set and determined, black eyes cold as ice.

Goyle had to keep himself from stepping backwards in surprise. This kid had that very same look down as Draco! And he had always thought that it was the gray eyes that made Draco's stare so cold!

"My name's Severus, in case you've forgotten."

Even his voice was cold as ice! Entirely calm and composed, just like he was in the classroom. He didn't seem the slightest little bit intimidated by Gregory towering over him.

Vincent moved closer to help his friend out if need be.

"Just you stay out of our way!" growled Gregory in his most threatening tone. "We don't want anything to do with a little nothing like you, but if you annoy us, Vince and me'll just have to tear you to bits."

Draco must have blinked at that moment, for he never saw Severus move. The boy was still sitting on his bed, the hint of a cruel smile on his lips while Gregory was clutching his nose with both hands blood dripping from between his fingers.

"Don't threaten me!" Severus explained in that same cold tone he had used before. "I'm much more dangerous than any and all of you together!"

Vincent grabbed him by the collar and slammed his back against the wall, with all his strength. Draco heard a soft gasp as the wind was knocked out of Severus, but that hint of a smile never wavered.

Severus kicked out and hit Vincent in the shin causing the bigger boy to let go of him and stumble back half a step. He dove past Crabbe stepping into the center of the room and right between his four enemies.

"You guys want to fight? Okay, come on!" he said levelling his icy stare straight at Blaise.

Draco shot a look from Gregory, who was still clutching his bleeding nose unsuccessfully fighting tears of pain, to Vincent. Crabbe was rubbing his leg with one hand eying Severus with a touch of caution in his eyes. Beside him he could feel Blaise, who had unconsciously stepped away from the look in those cold black eyes and was now touching his arm with his back, slightly tremble.

'Yeah, we wont even be able to pick fights, till he's gone!' echoed Vincent's earlier words in his thoughts. 'Won' be able to pick fights? Damn, he's already picking fights with us!' And he was so incredibly calm about it, too! Like he knew exactly that there was no way he might possibly lose!

His eyes fixed on the clock on the wall opposite from the bed like a lifeline. As if the clock could help him out of his confusion! But wait! The clock could help him! The clock did help him!

"We have no time to fight." he declared hoping he was sounding just as calm as Severus did. "Dinner's in five minutes! Let's go!"

He threw his bag onto his bed and was relieved to see Vincent and Blaise follow suite. Severus shrugged and began to straighten out his ruffled robes, while Gregory just dropped his stuff right where he was standing and stumbled from the room gurgling something about "....Pomfrey.....nose....broken...."

Severus though nobody had invited him tagged along as the three disgruntled boys made their way towards the great hall. He didn't seem to notice the sudden silence that fell as he entered, nor the stares that followed him as he walked to the Slytherin table and plopped into Gregory Goyles usual chair right next to Draco.

Draco watched him carefully out of the corner of his eyes wondering what would happen when Gregory returned from the hospital wing and found his seat taken. Severus either was not aware whose place he had taken over, or, more likely as Draco thought, just didn't care. He seemed quite satisfied with himself for having antagonised his dorm mates and was giving everybody else at the table his cold stare whenever he caught them looking at him.

The Slytherin table was unusually quiet. For some time nobody dared to be the first to address the cold stranger. They probably felt the hostility emanating from Severus over at the Gryffindor table on the other side of the great hall, thought Draco. He wondered idly if per chance the other pupils were as convinced as he and his gang had been, that Severus would tell on them if they broke any rules.

Draco no longer feared the teacher in Severus Snape. The boy, he decided, was much more difficult to handle.

Dinner however did pass better than he had feared. Severus managed to insult everyone who dared talk to him, but none of them attempted to retaliate in any physical way. Attempts to hit back verbally proved quite futile, but who in their right mind would seriously expect to be able to out-sarcasm Snape!

The expected confrontation between Severus and Gregory was easily avoided due to the fact that Goyle didn't even show up for dinner. Maybe Severus had known that he wouldn't be back from the hospital wing in time. He had been the one who smashed Gregory's nose, after all. He probably knew exactly how much damage he had done.

As soon as he was done eating Draco dashed back to his dorm grabbed his quiddich robes and headed out for practise. By the time he reached the quiddich field he was finally able to relax. No Blaise, no Vincent, no Gregory and, best of all, no Severus! He might actually get some peace and quiet while chasing the snitch and dodging bludgers! At least it would seem like peace and quiet compared to what was most likely going on in his dorm right now.

 

Draco returned to the common room ten minutes before bedtime. He wished he could have stayed away until everybody was asleep, but he didn't want to risk detention for being caught out of bed.

As he slipped through the secret door, he expected to hear loud voices of many people chatting, or probably even an argument. He stopped dead in his tracks as he was met by utter silence. That was very unusual! Normally most Slytherins would stay up until they either were drop dead tired or somebody made them go to bed. (That somebody, of course, usually was Snape.)

On first glance the room appeared to be empty! A second look revealed Severus happily curled up in the best chair right by the fire, that was usually unattainable except for seventh years. He seemed to have been writing something, but was now looking at Draco a smug grin on his face. Well, at least he wasn't giving him that cold stare!

"Hey, where is everybody?" Draco asked confused.

"Gone to bed it seems. Either they're afraid Dumbledore will be checking up on bedtime, or they didn't like the company. Most likely the later! I guess you'll be going, too?"

Severus sounded rather amused, not as cold as he had before. If Draco hadn't seen him fighting with Gregory and Vincent or insulting everybody during dinner, he might have actually thought he was a nice kid. Maybe he ought to sit down and try to talk to him?

He remembered just in time what his friends would likely say if he tried to befriend their teacher and settled for giving Severus a queer look and running of towards his dorm. He found the room dark and everybody in it obviously asleep! How boring! Well, at least they weren't bothering him in any way. He might actually get to do some drawing or finish the song he had been writing! But to do that he needed a table. Which meant he'd have to do it downstairs in the common room. Which in turn meant Severus would see what he was doing!

No, that was out of the question! No way would he let anyone, least of all Severus find out about either of these two hobbies of his!

Nothing to do but go to sleep like everybody else.

 

Draco was startled out of his dreams by a loud clattering sound and a shriek. He sat up in bed.

"What the ...?"

Albus Dumbledore was standing under the door in a puddle of water. He was soaking wet and there was a bucket over his head.

"Huh?" and "Who?" were the comments of his equally confused friends.

Severus however was rolling with laughter in his bed on the other side of the room.

Dumbledore slowly and deliberately took the bucket of off his head. He looked around the room, fixing each of the boys in turn with a very stern look.

"Oh, I never thought you would actually fall for that old trick!" giggled Severus when it was his turn.

"Whose bright idea was that?" Dumbledore asked at long last.

Severus again dissolved into fits of laughter, while the others just stared at Dumbledore blankly. Whatever was going on?

"You five will report to my office for detention right after breakfast tomorrow morning!" the headmaster announced as he headed out of the room, bucket in hand and still dripping, and closed the door behind him.

"Whatever just happened?" gasped Blaise.

A nasty suspicion crept into Draco's mind.

"Severus, what did you do?" he asked tonelessly.

"Put a bucket of water on the half closed door. What else?" came the matter-of-factly answer.

"You got all of us detention, you little rat!" screamed Blaise.

"Yes, I believe I did." still very matter-of-factly.

"Go after him and tell him it was only you! We had nothing to do with it! It's not fair if we have to do detention as well!" ordered Vincent.

"Your own fault for being so slow!" smiled Severus. "You didn't catch on in time! Now suffer the consequences!"

Blaise and Vincent protested screaming and shouting threats at Severus, who had simply rolled over and was pretending to sleep. Draco however was staring at Gregory who sat uncharacteristically subdued on his bed fingering his nose. No, Gregory couldn't possibly be afraid of cute little Severus, could he?

 

Breakfast was a disaster.

Severus was the first of the Slytherin fifth years to arrive and again set in Gregory's chair. Gregory came shortly after and found his seat taken. His protests and threats met with Severus' usual icy reaction. Vincent fearing his friend might suffer a broken nose once again hurried to back him up, which prompted Severus to climb onto his chair and empty a can of milk over Gregory's head.

The ensuing food-fight was quickly joined by the rest of the house and prompted Professor McGonagall to have a staring match with Severus (which he won!) and threaten them with jet another detention.

Gregory finally resolved to bully the fourth year who was sitting next to Blaise and opposite from Vincent out of her chair. Draco who sat between Vincent and Severus began to wonder whether he might soon be required to play the part of peacekeeper. That was one role he had absolutely no experience with and didn't really feel inclined to learn. In his opinion even the best of peacekeepers would most likely have given up at the sight of the glares passing between Severus and Gregory anyhow.

Dumbledore did not show up for breakfast. The rumour went that he had caught a bad cold and had decided to stay in bed. Somehow Draco found himself reminded of wet robes and the icy temperature in the dungeon hallways. It was the middle of January and even the Slytherin dorms were at times unpleasantly cold.

Right after breakfast the five boys went over to the headmaster's office. (Severus of course knew the password that let them in.)

Contrary to the rumour Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, but he did have a very red nose indicating that at least part of the story was true after all.

"Ah, yes, I believe you are here for your detention." he smiled.

Draco did definitely not like that smile!

"I have talked to Mr. Filch about it and we think that we have come up with the perfect job for you five to do. Since it seems that you like water so much you will have the unique chance to spend the morning scrubbing the floor in the entry hall! Without magic of course!"

Oh no! The floor in the entry hall was almost entirely brown from the molten snow and mud that were carried in on the pupils boots. They'd be scrubbing for hours!

"But we didn't do anything!" howled Blaise some traces of porridge still in his hair from the food fight. "It was all just Severus!"

"Yes, come on Severus, tell him the truth!" urged Draco scratching away at a marmalade stain on his right sleeve.

"What truth?" asked Severus innocently giving Dumbledore his cutest smile. Even Draco had to admit he looked like an angle despite being all covered in cornflakes and orange juice. "You're all just picking on me cause I'm the new kid!" this was accompanied by an equally cute little pout.

Dumbledore gave Draco an accusing look and sent them off to grab some brushes and buckets ("You know where they are!") and get to work.

Cleaning the entry hall turned out to be even more difficult than Draco had feared. A snowball fight had broken out between the Huffelpuff third years and the Gryffindor second years right in front of the door and errant snowballs kept falling inside. Several of the participants were racing in and out squealing with delight and dragging in large clumps of snow and dirt.

One of them a particularly annoying Gryffindor slipped on Severus brush, which he had enchanted to work instead of him, crashed into Vincent's bucket and accidentally spilled the filthy water all over Draco. Dripping wet his hands covered in mud-gray soap bubbles from scrubbing Draco got up, grabbed the enchanted brush, which was just as dirty as his hands and thrust it at Severus.

"That's it!" he screamed. "You're supposed to do this without magic! So get scrubbing now! This is, after all, ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"No! Don't want to look like you do, blondie." cold Severus was back.

"What do you mean? What do I look like?" asked Draco shocked.

"Like something the cat dragged in! Straight out of a river, mind you!"

Mrs. Norris got up from her perch on the third step of the main stairs, which she had chosen because it was absolutely dry and reasonably far away from the snowball fight to be expected to stay so, gave the boys an haughty sniff and went off to find Filch. As if she would ever bother with anything as wet as Draco currently was!

Draco lounged himself at Severus brandishing his bucket of water. "I'll show you what it feels like to get all wet!"

Gregory and Blaise immediately grabbed their own buckets and followed him into battle. Vincent hesitated a moment staring at his upended bucket, then simply took Severus' and joined in.

By the time Filch arrived to break up the fight all five were thoroughly wet and Severus for once was loosing the fight. Four opponents, three of whom were much bigger than himself, were to much even for him. Nevertheless all four had suffered several nasty kicks and bites.

Filch stared at them for a moment. Never since the days of the marauders had he seen a simple detention result in such chaos! He confiscated the boy's wands, told a grinning Severus of for using magic on his brush and sent them back to their dorm to get changed and have lunch before restarting on cleaning the floor, which now looked considerably worse than it had in the morning when they had started cleaning.

Then he went to report the incident to Dumbledore.

 

They arrived at lunch early and in a bad mood, which didn't bode well for the other pupils. Draco no longer felt the slightest urge to act as peacekeeper. 'More likely' he thought 'I'm gonna be the one who starts the war.'

He restrained himself from attacking Severus however since Professor McGonnagal for some reason unknown to him had taken post near the Slytherin table and was almost constantly eying the fifth years, leaving the Gryffindors nearly completely unsupervised.

Susan, a shy third year Slytherin, cautiously approached Severus.

"Ahm, Professor Snape, sir?" she asked, voice trembling slightly.

Severus turned on her. "My name's Severus!" he snapped.

Susan shrank back and nearly bolted away, but then swallowed hard and asked: "I was just wondering if you might help me with my potions homework. I don't think I quite understand this text in my book, sir ... I mean Severus!"

"Why should I help you? What's in it for me?" asked cold Severus.

Susan by now white as a sheet and visibly shaking managed an almost inaudible: "What do you want?"

"Hm... I know! I'll do your homework for you, if you put this into Neville Longbottom's soup!" smiled Severus handing her a Filibuster fire-cracker.

"Hey, where did you get that?" gasped Draco surprised.

"Found it in Blaise's trunk!" Severus' matter-of-factly voice this time.

"What, you went through our trunks!" shrieked Crabbe outraged.

"No, only Blaise's! Didn't have enough time to search the rest of you ... yet!"

At that point Professor McGonagall had to step in to prevent another major fight.

Susan seeing her opportunity and gathering all her courage used her moment of distraction to dash through the room and expertly throw the fire-cracker into Neville's plate. BOOM! This time it was the Gryffindors who were all covered in food!

Poor, shy, little Susan however didn't get far. Hagrid caught her by the shoulder and dragged her off to face Dumbledore.

"Professor Snape promised to help me with my homework, if I did it!" she sobbed by way of explanation.

"Twenty points off Slytherin!" Dumbledore croaked through his sore throat and blew his runny nose. Then he buried his face in his hands. Whatever had gotten into Severus? He really was behaving as he had when he really was a child! 'I just hope he's only trying to get revenge on Neville! The Slytherins probably really were picking on him. God help us if he goes back to picking fights with everybody and disturbing classes! And if he starts to ...! No, no he definitely wouldn't do that anymore! No way!'

Draco grinned and stuck out his tongue as Harry and his friends walked out of the great hall covered in soup, noodles in their hair. Harry glared back at him and suddenly Draco got a nasty suspicion who would suffer the Gryffindors' retaliation.

Of course! He realised with a start: Who would ever expect Professor Severus Snape to play such dirty tricks! They'd never suspect him and blame it all on the rest of the Slytherins instead!

 

Without his wand Severus was forced to actually participate in scrubbing the floor. He did it without much enthusiasm while the other four were working furiously. If they didn't finish it today, they'd probably have to do it tomorrow when everybody else would be going to Hogsmede! No way did they want to be left behind!

Severus slowly began to draw dirty patterns on the floor with his brush: up and down, a wave, a circle, a cross, a square ... a tree, another, a lake and clouds overhead, a dog running by the lake ...

Draco stood open-mouthed staring at the picture. What was Severus doing? One could actually draw pictures with dirt! There ought to be a dragon there not a dog! But it was a rather cute dog! Maybe the dragon ought to chase the dog? Maybe Severus couldn't draw dragons very well! Maybe Draco ought to help him? Do the dragon for him?

"SEVERUS!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! WE GOTTA GET THIS ROOM CLEANED!" That was Blaise! For a moment Draco didn't know what he was shouting about. Then he remembered the trip to Hogsmede.

"Why? Don't you like my picture?" asked Severus innocently.

"NO!" screamed four angry boys back at him.

"Do you want me to draw something else for you?"

"NO!"

Up on the first floor, unseen by the boys Albus Dumbledore walked away shaking his head worrying. What was Severus gonna do to his school until they found a way to turn him back? More to the point: What wasn't he gonna do?

 

Still to come: Dumbledore has to punish Severus! (But for what?), something disappears, a singing dragon, a green hedgehog, Severus wears Dumbledore's socks, and what happens when you loose more points than your house has got!


	2. Something Disappears

Chapter 2: Something Disappears

 

Saturday ended pretty much as Friday had. Only this time Draco stayed awake actually reading his charms book in bed until he was sure that Severus was asleep and had not put another bucket on the door.

To their relief the boys woke the next morning without having been disturbed by any further pranks by Severus.

Draco was about to ask Severus why he had been brushing his teeth for over ten minutes now and Blaise had just entered the bathroom when Gregory was the first to turn on the shower. Both Draco and Blaise froze and stared as Gregory jumped out of the shower screaming his skin all red and burnt.

Then they heard Severus' familiar laughter. Draco groaned. While he had been guarding the dorm last night Severus had obviously been busy fixing up the bathroom.

"Severus! What did you do this time?" he asked once again trying to sound just as cold as Severus.

"I turned off the cold water pipes. They're right up there, see. That small wheel right there in the corner turns them off for all the showers in the room." matter-of-factly Severus once again.

"How did you get up there?" demanded Blaise.

"Climb onto the first shower."

Blaise regarded the metal frame of the shower dubiously. It didn't look all that strong.

"Well, get up there and turn'em back on! I want to have my shower!"

Severus grinned. "No! Do it yourself!"

"Look you little ..." started Gregory.

"You can beat me up, you know." Severus informed him pleasantly. "But you can't force me to climb up there."

Gregory looked at the shower, then at Blaise. Blaise looked at the shower then back at Gregory.

"Draco?" he ventured unsure. "This thing couldn't possibly support me. Could you?"

Draco stared at the shower. That really didn't look all that strong and it was rather high, too. But he couldn't admit that he was afraid. He looked back to Severus. Maybe there was a way to bring him to ...

"I'm afraid of heights." volunteered Severus promptly.

"But you had to climb up to turn them off." stated Draco dryly.

"Well, I'm not all that afraid when it's dark, you know."

Draco glanced at the window. Wait until nightfall and make Severus climb up then? He doubted his friends would see the justice in that. They would expect him to climb himself. If he didn't he would prove himself a coward. All right then, he would prove that he was more courageous then Severus.

He walked into the shower looking for things he might use for hand- and footholds. The water on the floor was still hot under his bare feet. He gave the plastic wall a quick shake. It really didn't seem to be all that tightly fixed. What if it came loose under him? 'Don't show that it bothers you!' He set his right foot into the niche for the soap, grabbed the metallic frame of the plastic wall and pulled up. His wet foot slipped from the niche and he almost fell. Blaise and Gregory raced into the shower to support him and with their help he managed to drag himself onto the metal frame.

Glancing back down he realised to his surprise that Severus too had jumped up and was now standing in the entrance of the shower clinging to the curtain with both hands and peering up at him. Could it be he was actually worried about getting one of them hurt now that Draco had almost fallen?

Draco tried to stand up slowly holding on to the pipes for support. The wall beneath him wobbled with every move he made and the higher pipe was scalding hot. He withdrew his hands from that pipe immediately and held still until it stopped hurting. At least he now knew which pipe to turn back on.

Slowly he edged forward until he reached the wheel and began to turn it. It seemed an eternity until it stopped turning and he could crouch back onto his wobbly perch. He turned until he was sitting on the wall facing his friends down in the shower.

How would he ever get back down without breaking any bones?

"Jump!" said Gregory and held out his hands.

Draco took them, pushed himself off of the wall and closed his eyes. Gregory caught him and gently set him down on his feet. Severus' relieved smile looked real charming. The little devil!

At that moment the door opened and Vincent walked in yawning. He stopped and stared at the four boys in one shower cabin.

"What are you doing?" he asked confused.

"Practising tree-climbing." answered Draco not willing to elaborate.

 

That afternoon Dumbledore sat in his office staring at Severus over his desk. What was he to do now? Whatever should he say? How could Severus have done that? He wasn't really a boy anymore. He knew better than to get into that kind of trouble. This had to be a nightmare! It just couldn't be true! But he had to say something.

Albus Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, realised he still didn't know what to say and closed it again.

"Sorry, Albus!" said Severus.

It had definitely been a mistake to let this one go to Hogsmede. But just what was he going to do with a teacher who looked and acted like a naughty boy? Severus was his friend and he owed him, but he just couldn't tolerate this kind of behaviour. What to do? How to punish him without damaging their friendship? How to stop him from continuing such escapades?

Well, the last one was easy.

"Severus, I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave the school grounds ever again. At least not until we find the antidote, that is."

"Even if I promise not to get caught again?" - cute smile and big puppy-dog eyes.

"SEVERUS!!!"

"If I promise to TRY not to do it again?" - smirk a la Draco.

"SEVERUS!!!"

"OK, OK! I promise not to do it again." - downcast look.

"I'm sorry, Severus, but I don't believe you. You're behaving just like you did when you were a child and I can't forget how much you lied to me back then." Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"I thought we were friends!" Severus sounded as if he was nearly crying. Dumbledore couldn't tell if this was another act or not. With Severus these things were just so hard to tell.

"So did I. - Now about your punishment ..."

The door flew open and Minerva McGonagall burst in followed to Dumbledore's horror by a very angry Rosmerta, who was dragging Draco and Harry after her. Behind them appeared Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. All of them in torn robes, some bleeding.

Draco started when he noticed Severus.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked forgetting his own predicament for a moment.

"I got caught stealing." Severus announced matter-of-factly as if it were no big deal at all.

"You what?!!" gasped the Gryffindors and Slytherins in rare unison. The Gryffindors of course were even more surprised than the Slytherins who had already had the chance to get to know Severus.

"I got caught stealing." repeated Severus calmly.

"Oh no! But I warned you Albus. I told you this kid's a walking disaster. And he wasn't even in classes jet!" moaned Professor McGonagall.

"Calm down Minerva, please!" pleaded Dumbledore. "I'll handle that. Now what did these kids do, Rosmerta? From the looks of them I'd say they were fighting? In the Three Broomsticks perhaps?"

"Yes, indeed they were. They damaged furniture, broke dishes and scared away customers. These two started it." Rosmerta accused pushing Harry and Draco in front of Dumbledore's desk. "This one here to be exact." she added indicating Draco.

Dumbledore sighed rubbing his throbbing temples.

"All right Rosmerta, why don't you send me a detailed damage list so I can get their parents to pay for it and I'll see to their punishment."

Rosmerta nodded curtly. "If this ever happens again you will be forbidden to enter the three Broomsticks for the rest of your lives!" she told the children as she stalked out of the headmaster's office.

"Well now, that will be detention for all of you!" announced Dumbledore "Twenty points from everybody who joined in that fight, thirty from Harry for fighting back instead of avoiding a fight, forty from Draco for starting the fight and fifty from Severus."

"But sir, that leaves Slytherin with less than fifty points altogether!" protested Severus.

"Well, after your recent escapades you ought to consider yourselves lucky to have any left at all." explained Dumbledore.

It was a very downcast group of children that walked out of Dumbledore's office after that.

"Great, just great!" mumbled Ron Weasley to nobody in particular. "Thanks to that idiot Malfoy Hufflepuff is going to win the House Cup this year!

Draco gave him a nasty look, but noticing his house-mate's accusing stares decided it would probably be better to avert their attention from the fight. Now what might prove to be a suitable diversion?

"Severus!" he snarled. "Whatever possessed you to go stealing?"

"They didn't give me any pocket money." shrugged Severus.

"You lost us a full fifty points! Thanks to you we're now last. We're never gonna win the Cup now." Draco accused him.

"Well, you lost more than I did dragging everybody into that stupid fight!" Severus shot back. "Just why did you have to attack Potter anyway."

"He called my father a death eater!" complained Draco.

"So what's the problem? Your father IS a death eater." declared Severus turned on his heel and walked away.

Draco stared after him. Nobody could know that! His father would go to Azkaban if he ever admitted that! He couldn't let Severus say that.

"He is not! No he is not!" he screamed after Severus, but he knew he had waited to long. He had to find a way to convince Severus that he was wrong.

 

Draco didn't get a chance to talk to Severus alone until that evening in the bathroom. Severus was under the shower. Everybody else had gone to bed. Draco sat in front of the shower cabin staring at the wall. How to go about this? Severus did seem slightly more approachable when they were alone together, but he still was a wretched little rat that got them all into trouble and called him 'blondie'.

"Um, Severus?" he ventured testing the water.

"Yeah? What?"

That sounded rather neutral. Maybe it would work.

"What makes you think that my father is a death eater?" Draco asked carefully.

"I don't think he's a death eater, Draco. I know. Everybody suspects. I know. And Dumbledore knows, too."

Draco swallowed hard. That wasn't what he had expected. Not that calm conviction. Oh, what to do!

"How can you know? How can you be so sure?" 'Please, please make it something I can explain away!' he thought.

"Because I ..." Severus broke of and Draco heard a muffled bang from inside the shower. Silence ensued.

"Because you what?" probed Draco. He needed an answer!

"Because I just know. I can't tell you how I do, but I do. The ministry won't accept my proof though so you have nothing to worry about. But I do know. So don't pretend with me!" Severus practically jumped out of the shower, grabbed a towel and began to dry himself of hurriedly. He stopped only once gazing motionless at his left arm for a few seconds. Then quickly slipped into his pyjamas, again pausing to look at his arm and practically raced from the room.

Draco followed him out of the bathroom startled at his sudden hurry and saw him run down into the common room barefoot and his hair still wet from the shower. Whatever was he doing? - Had he had an idea how to turn himself back into an adult?

"Now that would be a relief for all of us." he said to himself as he went back into his dorm to sleep.

Severus slipped out of the common room through the secret door ran out of the dungeons and up into Dumbledore's office.

"Albus! Albus it's gone!" he shouted as he burst into the room. "It just simply vanished!"

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall who had been discussing the day's chaos over a cup of tea stared back at him startled.

Severus suddenly remembered his attire. He should have at least put shoes on. The floor was pretty cold, but it was to late for that now. So he just stood there staring wide-eyed at Dumbledore.

"What's gone, Severus?" the headmaster asked gently.

Severus glanced at Professor McGonagall. Then walked over to Dumbledore and pulled him close to whisper something into his ear.

Professor McGonagall stared at the two. Whatever was going on?

"What!" shouted Dumbledore, grabbed Severus' left arm and pulled back the sleeve. Then stared at the boy's arm.

Minerva leaned over and stared, too, but she couldn't see anything there. She looked up first at Dumbledore then at Severus, who were both still staring at Severus' arm in amazement.

"But how?" asked Dumbledore.

"I have absolutely no idea." answered Severus.

"Excuse me, but there isn't anything there." said Professor McGonagall.

"That's the point, Minerva." said Dumbledore distractedly. "That's the very point. There's nothing there!"

Professor McGonagall stared back at him confused. Whatever could there possibly not be on Severus' arm?

"Could this be a side effect of Neville's potion?" Dumbledore asked Severus. "Was it still there after that?"

"I never thought to check. Only when Draco asked me how I knew that his father's a death eater. I thought that maybe I ought to show him and realised it was gone."

Death eater? Something on his left arm? Minerva McGonagall suddenly remembered how Severus always wore long sleeved robes never showing his arms, how sometimes at the mention of certain things he would suddenly walk out of the room in the middle of a conversation. And she also remembered odd looks passing between Dumbledore and Snape when discussing certain events.

She sank back into her chair as realisation dawned upon her.

"The dark mark?" she gasped.

Severus shrank away from her then stood staring at his naked toes. That was as good as an admission. But how could Dumbledore of all people? If he knew about this?

"Now, Minerva, before you go start any rumours: Severus worked for me! Undercover, you might say. And we'd much prefer if that didn't become common knowledge. Understand?" Dumbledore's voice sounded unusually grave. Even with the pupils he rarely took that tone.

Minerva McGonagall suspected that he wasn't telling her everything. 'You might say.' he'd said. It likely meant that he'd chosen his words very carefully not telling the entire truth without lying. But she trusted him and he trusted Severus. That was good enough for her.

"Of course, Albus. But don't you think he ought to be in bed?" she said indicating Severus. "He has classes tomorrow, after all."

"But ..." Severus tried to protest but Dumbledore cut him of:

"You're going to catch a nasty cold running around the castle after bedtime all wet! Trust me I know what I'm talking about. I've got experience!" (Madame Pomfrey had cured his cold with a very nasty tasting potion in the meantime, but his ears were still smoking slightly.)

"It's only my hair that's wet!" grinned Severus.

Professor McGonagall sighed and quickly turned a paperweight that Dumbledore wasn't using into a hairdryer.

"Sit down! I'll handle that." she ordered indicating the empty chair next to her.

Dumbledore opened the bottom drawer in his desk and after a little digging around produced a pair of thick woollen socks from it that were several sizes too large but nice and warm. (Only Albus Dumbledore would keep socks in his desk at his office! - Well, maybe so would Dobby if he had a desk and an office.)

Once Severus' hair was dried Dumbledore insisted on taking him straight to bed. Mineva McGonagall reminded the protesting boy once again that he had classes to attend the next morning.

"Mine among them!" she threatened. "And please promise not to turn anything green!"

"Not on purpose." Severus promised with a sheepish grin. "I never did do that on purpose!"

Walking down stone steps in thick woolly socks several sizes too large proved to be a rather slippery undertaking. When Severus nearly fell for the third time after ten steps Dumbledore simply picked him up and carried him. Good thing he was so small!

Severus put his arms around Dumbledore's neck and looked up at him.

"Albus, are you very angry with me? For stealing again, I mean."

"No, just very disappointed. I don't understand why you did that. You have to know better by now."

"Well, you didn't give me any money. There isn't much to do in Hogsmede without money. So what else could I have done?" explained Severus.

"Come and ask me?" suggested Dumbledore. "I've got a lot on my mind, Severus. There's my job as headmaster, minister Fudge always asking for advice, plans to fight off Voldemort to make, I suddenly got potions to teach and a horde of mischievous, distrusty Slytherins to take care of, I'm trying to coordinate the rather chaotic search for an antidote for you and Harry's always getting in trouble, too. You can't expect me to think of everything! I forgot about giving you money. That was my mistake, but it's your fault that you didn't remind me. You have to come and ask me, when you need things! - That doesn't mean I'm gonna give you just anything you ask for though." he added as an afterthought.

"I'm sorry! I'll remember to tell next time, promise!" said Severus. "Can I go on the next Hogsmede trip, now?"

"No! You're old enough and should have known better. Now suffer the consequences!"

"I'm only fifteen!" protested Severus.

"On the outside." specified Dumbledore.

"You treat me like fifteen!"

"Because you behave like fifteen. Now shush we're about to enter your dorm! We don't want to wake up all your friends, because they really are fifteen and need their sleep!"

"They're not my friends! They don't even like me!" whispered Severus, but hoped that Dumbledore hadn't heard.

"Nonsense, they're just not sure what to make of you yet." answered Dumbledore just as softly.

Draco slowly sat up in bed and watched as the headmaster gently laid Severus in his bed and pulled the covers over him. That done Dumbledore turned, noticed Draco, put a finger to his lips to indicate 'Silience!' and tiptoed out of the room.

What had Severus done this time? It couldn't have been another prank. Not the way Dumbledore had just acted.

"Severus?" he asked softly.

"Go to sleep. I'm tired." mumbled Severus into his pillow.

Draco let himself drop back and stared at the ceiling. He wasn't gonna get an answer to his questions. Not from Severus. This much was clear. He just wished he had somebody to talk to! Somebody whom he could tell all that he really thought and felt.

At the moment his thoughts were confusing.

He thought that he hated Severus. He wanted to get revenge for the kicks he had gotten in their fight (one of them still hurt), for calling him blondie, for getting him detention, for calling his father a death eater in front of a bunch of those 'perfect' Gryffindors, for making him climb the shower, for loosing Slytherin points when he didn't really belong there at all, for being better at intimidating stares and delivering insults than he was and for just being generally annoying. He wanted Severus the boy out of his life and Snape the teacher back.

All that he could tell Vincent or Gregory or Blaise or anybody else, of course. Well maybe not the part about wanting Snape back. But there were the things he definitely couldn't tell any of his 'friends' and he felt he needed to talk about those too. Maybe if he could talk about them he'd come to understand them. But he couldn't tell anybody.

He couldn't tell them that he actually liked Snape, the teacher. He couldn't tell them that he wanted to know what he had been like as a boy. That he somehow liked to watch him. That he thought his pranks funny. That he wanted to sit down and draw dragon pictures with him. That he'd like to just talk to him like any other boy. That he'd have liked to be around when Severus really had been a boy. That he kind of felt sorry for him, because he had been thrust out of the life he'd known and didn't know when he could have it back.

What did it feel like for an adult to go back to being a child? What was it like when you had to stay with a horde of cruel, rough boys and nobody liked you? Was that why Severus had run of? Because he too wanted somebody to talk to? Somebody who could understand? Somebody his own real age? Did the teachers talk to him the way they used to or did they just treat him like any other pupil? Did his adult friends shun him because he was caught in the body of a child? Why would a teacher go and create such a load of mischief? As revenge because everybody treated him like a child? To prove himself trustworthy to the real children? To annoy everybody? Or just for the heck of it? Was that what Severus had been like when he really had been a child? Or what he would have liked to be like and hadn't dared?

'Too many questions!' Draco decided 'And there won't be any answers! Gotta accept I'm not gonna find out!'

 

Monday morning! Classes with Severus! None of the teachers were looking forward to that. Some fifth year pupils dreaded making fools of themselves in front of him in other teacher's classes. Some were curious to see what was gonna happen.

The Slytherins were definitely in the first group. Unusually quietly they walked into their first class of the week: History of Magic with Professor Binns.

At least it wasn't likely that there would be any trouble in that class. Binns never had any interaction with his pupils anyway. Just sit still, take some notes and don't fall asleep! No problem!

Severus was last to arrive, closed the door behind him and sat down in the last row. Curious stares followed him from the Ravenclaw's side of the room. The Slytherins had mostly gotten used to what he looked like by now.

Professor Binns walked into the classroom through the closed door. He had no choice in the matter since he was not substantial enough to turn the handle and open it. Several pupils giggled. Severus grinned. Binns looked annoyed and started to read out their names getting them all wrong as usual. Some of the pupils still corrected him every time but most had long accepted the names he made up for them and just answered 'Here!' or 'Yes!' or just raised their hand, when he called out something remotely familiar. Sometimes Draco wondered how Binns managed to get their names wrong even when reading them from his list. Well, same old, same old. He stifled a yawn and sunk deeper into his chair as Binns read on. 'Don't fall asleep! There's a teacher watching! And I don't mean Binns!' he reminded himself just before the impossible happened:

"Snape!" read out Binns.

Clonk! Clatter! Thump! it went all over class as everybody started. Professor Binns had gotten a name right!

Even Severus looked surprised as he raised his hand. Who'd have thought that Binns had even heard of the accident in potions class, much less that he actually knew the names of his fellow teachers!

Binns of course didn't acknowledge the class' reaction. He went on finishing the list of names and began to drone about some goblins who'd done something, somewhere in 1346.

The class returned to it's half sleep. Draco was bored. He turned in his chair to see what Severus was doing. He seemed to be writing something. Was he taking notes? Nope, stared out the window in between. Didn't seem to acknowledge Binns at all. Maybe he was drawing again.

That was an idea! Draco sunk even deeper into his chair until he could reach his bag, slipped a hand in and felt around. There! A piece of parchment and his pencils. Slowly carefully he pulled them out and onto the desk.

Now, what should he draw? A dragon of course.! A big green dragon raised on its hind legs with it's large wings unfolded and it's mouth opened to breathe fire.

The lesson passed all to quickly for Draco.

The second class of the day was charms with Professor Flitwick. Flitwick was rather nervous. Dumbledore had warned him that Severus might be trouble so he'd better be very strict with him from the beginning. Professor Flitwick usually preferred to stay on Snape's good side.

The beginning of the lesson went well. Severus again sat alone in the last row. Draco suspected that he was doing something under his desk, but he couldn't really tell.

As Flitwick began to explain the new charm they were supposed to learn that day, Draco opened his bag to pull out his book. There was the parchment, with the picture of the dragon on it. It was nearly done. It wouldn't take more than half a minute to finish. He could afford half a minute of inattention in charms. Draco pulled the parchment out along with the book.

He looked at his dragon. The mouth wasn't quite right. It looked more like it was singing than preparing to breathe fire.

Draco stifled a giggle and started to draw a harp between it's front paws. Yes, that was better! A dragon bard! Now what was the dragon singing? Draco began to draw lines for the notes to a dragon song onto his parchment. A fierce battle song? Or maybe a love song for the sweet dragon maiden?

"Severus, hand over that parchment!" came Flitwick's voice suddenly from the back of the room. Draco had never heard him sound that harsh before.

Severus pulled a piece of parchment out from under his desk and held it out to Flitwick with a sheepish grin.

Flitwick took it and stared at it for a moment.

"Do you think that this is the right time to write poetry, Severus?" he asked sternly.

"They're not poetry!" protested Severus obviously feeling insulted.

Draco giggled. Poetry! Yuck!

"Then what are they? Definitely not your notes on my lesson, I'd say!"

"They're song lyrics." Severus admitted looking sheepish once again. "Sorry!"

'Song lyrics! O-oh!' Draco quickly thrust the dragon-parchment back into his bag. Song lyrics!

"Well, poetry or songs or whatever, they don't belong in my class! That'll be five points off Slytherin!" Flitwick announced.

Oh, no! They couldn't afford to loose any more points! They just couldn't!

Flitwick continued with his lesson and Draco realised with a start that he had no idea what the teacher was talking about. And they'd have to do it before the end of the lesson! How could he find out what they'd been learning in time?

Draco leant over to his neighbour.

"Greg! Pst, Greg!" he whispered.

"What?" Gregory asked nervously. He wasn't very good at charms and hated attracting Flitwick's attention.

"Can I borrow your notes, Greg?"

"What?"

"Your notes on this lesson. Please ..."

"Mr. Malfoy! Could you please repeat what I just said!" shouted Flitwick.

Draco blushed.

"I ... I ...I'm sorry sir." So that was what Severus must have felt like a minute ago! Draco wished he could turn himself invisible. What could he say? Anything that had something to do with topic of the lesson. If only he knew what that was!

"No? Well, maybe you could tell us what I've been talking about for about half an hour?" Why was Flitwick so mean today? He sounded almost like Snape when talking to the Gryffindors.

"I'm sorry! I, sort of, wasn't paying attention!" Maybe he could hide under his desk and Flitwick would forget he was here? Somehow that didn't seem likely. Draco hung his head and waited for the inevitable.

"Another five points off Slytherin!" pronounced Flitwick.

Oh no! Ten points lost in just one lesson! How many did they have left? 37? Oh no! What would Professor Snape say? Than Draco remembered that Snape was right here. He glanced over at Severus. Their eyes met. Severus shrugged helplessly. Well, at least they were both equally guilty.

 

Still to come: Dumbledore teaches potions!, a green hedgehog, Draco and the Slytherins get angry, what happens when you loose more points than your house has got, Filch has a new pet, and Severus sits in the rain!


	3. Hedgehog Troubles

Chapter 3: Hedgehog troubles

 

Severus walked into transfigurations class with a very bad feeling. Had he promised Minerva not to turn anything green? How was he to do that? He had never been able to transfigure anything without turning it green. Usually turning the object he meant to transfigure green had been the only thing he'd been able to accomplish in this class. And he hadn't even tried to transfigure anything since he'd graduated. He'd make a complete fool out of himself! In front of the whole class! In front of his Slytherins! In front of those horrible Gryffindors! In front of Harry Potter! - In front of Draco!

Well, maybe it'd cheer Draco up a bit. He'd looked miserable when he'd lost those points to Flitwick. He wondered what Draco had been doing during that lesson. 'Wish I could go and ask him.' he thought. 'But he'd never tell me. He hates me, just like the others do. At least he has friends to talk to. Guess I could talk to Albus. But he wouldn't understand. These are a boy's thoughts and feelings and only a boy would understand. Draco would understand. But he hates me. I'm just the mean kid that gets everyone detention. Why do I do that? Albus's right. I know better. It's just so easy, so tempting to the boy's mind. I guess they just don't understand just how much I am a child again. I fit in neither the adult's nor the children's world anymore. I'm all alone. The only one of my kind in all the world. At least I got rid of the dark mark. That feels good. If only one of the boys'd talk to me, be my friend. God, how my friends would laugh at me if I told them that! I ought to tell Albus. Maybe he could help me? No, he'd laugh, too. And he's already so stressed, all because of me. Because he has to do my job and because he's trying to find that antidote, for me. I can't bother him with this.! I'm alone.'

Minerva McGonagall walked in accompanied by a big, floating, wooden box. She had after much consideration decided not to change her plans for this class because of Severus. Like Dumbledore had said: Sirius Black wasn't around. Severus wasn't really a child anymore and he wouldn't do what he'd done the last time he'd been taught this spell. There had to have been a lot of coincidence involved in causing that much chaos in class after all.

"All right everybody! Come up here and grab a hedgehog each!" she ordered.

Hedgehog! That word in context with transfiguration brought up bad memories with Severus. 'Please Minerva, don't make us turn hedgehogs into ashtrays!' he thought as he walked up to the front for his hedgehog.

As he took the small animal it immediately curled up into a spiky ball. 'They'd be cute if they didn't sting so much!'

He sat the hedgehog-ball onto his desk and listened with growing fear as Professor McGonagall explained how to turn a hedgehog into an ashtray. Then she told them to do it.

Severus gulped, readied his wand and looked at his hedgehog. The little fellow had cautiously uncurled himself and was now looking around on the desk. He was a very ordinary gray little hedgehog, decided Severus. There was some brownish-yellow fur on his underside. He blinked at the boy with round black eyes and sniffed his little black nose. Nothing special, but still prettier than some stupid ashtray. Why did people need to know how to turn hedgehogs into ashtrays?

Well it couldn't be helped. Severus had to try and turn him into an ashtray. He raised his wand and ...

Severus stared miserably at the not quite so ordinary Slytherin-green little hedgehog. There was some light-green fur on his underside. He blinked at the boy with dark-green eyes and sniffed his little green nose. Not an ordinary hedgehog anymore, but definitely no ashtray! Why did people have to know how to turn hedgehogs into ashtrays? Severus tried again...

... and again ...

... and again ...

Finally he rested an elbow on his desk, cuddled his cheek into his hand and stared at the offending little hedgehog in defeat. The hedgehog sniffed his cute little green nose and walked around on the desk his little green tail sticking out behind him.

"Uhm, why'd you turn your hedgehog green, sir?" asked a very confused Harry Potter.

Severus looked up to find himself the center of attention for several bored Gryffindors. Bad memories of taunting Gryffindors rose in Severus: Sirius and James lying on their desk howling with laughter. Remus and Peter pointing and grinning.

"My name's Severus! Why can't anybody seem to remember that?" he hissed back at them.

"Okay, Severus!" said Ron Weasley rolling his eyes up in exasperation. "Why did you turn your hedgehog green, Severus?"

"I think," Severus went icy, as always when he was very much afraid of people. "He turned green cause he just wanted to be green."

Neville grinned triumphantly. "He can't do it! Snape made a mistake! And I did it right!" he almost sang.

Severus grabbed the first thing that was there, which just happened to be a green hedgehog, and threw it at Neville's face.

Neville yelped in surprise and dove out of the way. The hedgehog soared past him, grazed Professor McGonagall's ear, where he left several bloody little scratch marks and luckily fell into a stack of pillows that were meant to be turned into boots by Minerva's seventh years class.

The Gryffindors immediately retaliated by throwing their ashtrays back at Severus. As Lavender Brown drew back her arm for the throw she accidentally hit Millicent Bulstrode, who was walking past behind her in the head. Millicent screamed in pain and outrage and the Slytherins threw themselves into the fight.

It took Professor McGonagall two full minutes to re-establish order in her classroom. She had the pupils clean up the mess they had made, pack away their stuff and sit in their chairs. Then she turned upon Severus eyes blazing.

"How many points did I take off you last time you hit me throwing a green hedgehog around class, Severus Snape?" she asked barely able to restrain herself from slapping him in the face.

"It was an accident!" claimed Severus. "I was aiming at ..."

"Sirius Black again? He isn't even in this school anymore!" shouted Minerva McGonnagal.

"Honestly Minerva! I didn't mean to hit you, I didn't mean to start a fight and I didn't mean to turn him green! You have to believe me!" Severus pleaded.

"I don't care what you did or didn't mean to do! I only care what you did! How many points was it Severus?"

Nobody in class dared to breathe. 'They must have heard her all the way up on the astronomy tower.' they thought.

"T ... twenty." Severus whispered.

"Louder! I can't hear you!" demanded Professor McGonagall.

"Twenty points and a detention!" Severus shouted fighting tears of humiliation.

"Well since that doesn't seem to have been enough to teach you not to throw green hedgehogs around in class, this time it will be thirty points off Slytherin and a detention!" decided Professor McGonagall.

"No! You can't do that!" shrieked Draco without thinking. "We'd have only seven points left!"

"Do you want to loose those seven for talking back to a teacher, Mr. Malfoy?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I'm sorry Professor."

"Alright everybody, back to the subject!" Professor McGonagall ordered. "Show me your ashtrays!"

"Mine broke in the fight!" shouted Harry.

"Mine, too!"

"And mine!"

"Somebody stepped on mine!"

"Just put them on your desks and I'll repair those that are broken." sighed McGonagall.

Suddenly Pansy Parkinson jumped up backing away from the wall, where the pillows were stacked.

"That pillow's moving!" she shouted pointing.

"Mouse!" shrieked Lavender Brown and jumped onto her desk.

Several girls and Neville screamed.

Professor McGonagall calmly walked over and lifted the pillow. Beneath it she found something that looked a bit like an oversized chestnut. She picked it up and put it on Severus' desk.

"Your ashtray I believe." was her only comment.

The class roared with laughter. Severus ducked behind his book hiding as best he could. The green ball slowly, cautiously unrolled himself and sniffed his green little nose.

"Well, as I can see all of you did very well at this exercise." announced McGonagall at the end of the lesson. "All except Severus that is!" Again the whole class laughed. Severus cringed and tried to make himself even smaller behind his book. "That is very lucky for you because you just might need this for your OWLs. So keep practising!"

Severus waited until most of his classmates had left before he went up to McGonagall with his hedgehog in hands.

"Minerva?" he asked carefully. "Could ... um ... could you please ... um ... turn him back?"

McGonagall stared at him over her glasses.

"It looks like it's a bit unnatural for him to be green, you know." he explained. "It might harm him, don't you think?"

"You are the one who turned him green in the first place. You want him changed back? Do it yourself! Now get lost! I've pretty much run out of patience with you already. After only one lesson!"

"I honestly didn't do it on purpose." said Severus as he retreated out of the room.

His Slytherin classmates were waiting for him with accusing glares. He immediately turned cold.

"What?" he demanded staring Draco right in the eyes. Draco was the leader. If he could scare off Draco the others would leave him alone. But Draco returned his stare with equal iciness. He knew that game inside out. Severus knew he didn't really stand a chance.

Draco glared at Severus. He had protested the loss of points in class. Everyone had heard it. Now they expected him to do something. Severus needed to be thought a lesson. That was what they thought and he was the one expected to teach him. Or else they'd turn on him. He needed to scare Severus into surrendering. But Severus was just as cold as Draco always pretended to be. Draco knew he didn't really stand a chance.

"This is a warning, Severus!" he smirked. "Loose us any more points and you'll really get in trouble. Understand?"

"You're the one who's going to get in trouble if you pick a fight with me. I already told you I'm way more dangerous than all of you. Now get out of my way!" Severus walked right into the wall of Slytherins as if expecting them to back away. A small part of him actually hoped that they might, but he knew it wouldn't happen. He'd been in these situations too often in his life not to know. He kept his cold stare on Draco as he walked challenging, never breaking eye contact. 'Don't let them know you're scared!' When the first punch hit it didn't come as a surprise.

 

Professor Lupin, once again the DADA teacher of Hogwarts, was on his way to the last lesson of the day when he came upon Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall arguing in front of the large hourglasses that told the points given to each of the houses.

"Albus? Minerva? Is something wrong?" he asked surprised.

"It's the Slytherins!" explained Dumbledore. "The fifth years ganged up and beat up Severus! Mr. Filch caught them and took five points of everyone involved in the fight. That would make fifty-five points, but it turns out they had only seven points left to start with. We've never had a house loose more points than they had before. So I suggested to just put them on 0, but Minerva thinks they'll be impossible if they know that they can't loose any more points. She insists that we need to find a way to show a negative score."

"Why don't you just leave the hourglass empty and put a minus in front of the numbers shown underneath?" suggested Remus grinning. 'Slytherin with a negative score. Ha, Take that Severus Snape!' he thought.

"Well, I guess that's what we'll have to do." said Dumbledore sadly.

Remus suddenly remembered how much Dumbledore liked Severus. And the Slytherins had ganged up to beat him. All of them? Ten on one?

"I've got to go." he told Dumbledore and McGonagall. "I have those very fifth years to teach and if there is this much tension among them, I'd better not be late or they might start up again."

It had been a wise decision to hurry, Remus decided when he entered his classroom and saw the Slytherins. They all looked a little ruffled, several were limping and Pansy Parkinson wore her left arm in a makeshift sling. Draco had an ugly bruise on his cheek and Severus, who was sitting on the Hufflepuffs' side of the room, sported a black eye and a split lip.

All of a sudden Remus felt uncomfortable about having Severus in his class. He was a fellow teacher after all. And he did help him a lot with that wolfsbane potion. On the other hand the tricks that very boy had played on him and his friends!

Just how was he supposed to treat his new 'pupil'? He decided to avoid the problem. He wasn't going to treat him at all. As far as he was concerned Severus Snape was not in this class. And there was definitely no green hedgehog on his desk!

The only problem with this solution was that Severus didn't like to be ignored. On the contrary he seemed very eager to participate in the lesson raising his hand at every chance. Remus ignored him anyway but noted that Severus looked more and more angry as the lesson progressed. Remus avoided looking in his direction as best he could, but that meant that he was also ignoring the Hufflepuffs.

Ah what a relief when the lesson was finally over and Severus hadn't done anything to disturb it! But there was that nagging feeling that he might not be so lucky next time. And maybe Severus wouldn't even have done any mischief if he'd just let him participate? He did have a lot of knowledge he might contribute to the class if he wanted to and Remus let him.

 

Severus was staring at his dinner plate He just couldn't bring himself to eat. Minus 48 points! And it was all his fault!

The only thing keeping his house-mates from beating him up again was the presence of the teachers.

Professor McGonagall was once again staying close to the Slytherin table shooting angry glances at Severus every few minutes, but for once Severus didn't seem to be up to mischief. He was pushing his food around not eating. Was he still hurting from the beating he had taken after her lesson? She'd thought that he deserved it for the trick with the green hedgehog, but now she was beginning to feel sorry for him. It seemed that nobody was talking to him and there had been no progress in the search for an antidote. They hadn't even been able to reconstruct the recipe for that dreadful youth-potion yet.

'I guess Albus already told him he might be stuck as a child for a while.' she thought.

The green hedgehog meanwhile was creeping around on the dinner table blinking and sniffing at his odd new environment. Something smelled delicious nearby! The hedgehog was hungry. McGonagall hadn't fed them before handing them out to the students. Ashtrays didn't feel hungry, after all.

He followed the smell to an odd white object on which lay all sorts of good-smelling things. Mmm! He bit into the first treat: A little hot for his taste, but not bad! He took another bite.

"Hey! That's my dinner!" scoffed Draco, grabbed the little green thief, who immediately curled up again and placed him in front of Severus' plate.

Severus glanced up distractedly.

"Oh, sorry!" he mumbled.

Draco stared at him.

"What?"

"Sorry!" Severus repeated still distracted by his own miserable thoughts. "Shouldn't have let him run off like that."

"You owe me a potato!" claimed Draco curious for the reaction.

Severus pushed over his plate.

"Take it!"

He did.

The hedgehog cautiously stuck his little green nose out, smelled more potatoes and resolved to return to his meal. Severus watched him eat his way onto his plate.

"I thought you were supposed to be a meat-eater?" he asked. (Draco gave him an odd look: Talking to hedgehogs?)

The hedgehog looked up at him, decided Severus wasn't going to eat him (He didn't know what a plate was for or else he might have changed his mind about that.) and sniffed his little green nose at him before continuing on another potato.

Severus sighed. He shouldn't have forgotten to feed his new pet. Pet! Great, everybody else had some useful animal like a cat or an owl and he got stuck with a hedgehog! A green one at that!

Thinking of pets: What had happened to his raven?

Pupils at Hogwarts weren't allowed ravens, for they could be very difficult and cause a lot of trouble. But somebody had to take care of his bird. Albus Dumbledore should know.

Severus gently lifted his hedgehog out of the plate and walked over to the teachers' table giving Minerva McGonagall a wide berth, just to be save. He'd probably be hungry tonight, but it couldn't be helped.

Minerva noticed the evasive manoeuvre with a touch of concern. Was Severus beginning to be afraid of her? Most of the Slytherins were. She was well aware of that. But Severus wasn't a pupil! Well not normally, anyhow. 'Maybe I ought to talk to him?' she thought. But here and now was neither the place nor the time for a private conversation.

Headmaster Dumbledore looked up and smiled when he saw Severus.

"Got a new friend?" he asked indicating the hedgehog.

"More like a new problem! Minerva says she won't un-green him!" complained Severus.

"Won't un-green him?" repeated Dumbledore. "I think he's rather cute that way. Very special, you know."

Severus considered that answer. It didn't seem he'd get any help there.

"I just came to ask what you did with my raven. He needs someone to care for him till I'm back."

"Ah yes, the raven!" smiled Dumbledore. "He wouldn't stay at the owlery ..."

"Ravens hate owls!" explained Severus. "They never get along."

"Well, Mr. Filch has kindly agreed to take care of him. I think he'll let you visit, if you ask him nicely."

Severus thanked Dumbledore, then left the great hall. the headmaster watched him go wondering what was wrong. he had the distinct feeling that there was something that Severus needed to talk about but somehow hadn't been able to tell him. Was he loosing his friend's trust?

 

Severus feared another attack from his fellow Slytherins as soon as he was out of the teachers earshot too much to return to the common room and therefore went outside instead.

The weather had gotten surprisingly warm for this time of the year and it was raining slightly. Good, that meant that everybody else was likely to stay inside.

Severus smiled. He liked rain. Especially when he was feeling down. There was something peaceful and calming about rain that always helped him to relax.

He sat on a bench by the wall getting wet and enjoying the freshness of the air and the soft dripping sound. Maybe the rain would wash the snow away and there would be an early spring. He knew it was much too early for that, but he liked to pretend he believed it.

For a while he just closed his eyes and listened and felt the rain. His mind wandered detachedly analysing his problems without searching for solutions. He knew that he was in deep but right now he was feeling oddly content. The soothing effect of the rain and loneliness.

He opened his eyes again and regarded the hedgehog in his arms a little closer. The little guy was getting used to being carried around. He hadn't even curled up completely this time, which meant that he didn't sting so much either.

Severus gently turned him around to face him. Had something just moved on his head? Indeed, there was something small crawling around between the spikes! Severus lifted him to look more closely.

"You know what, Greenie? You've got green fleas!" he told the hedgehog.

The hedgehog sniffed his nose and blinked as if to say: 'So what? Doesn't everybody?'

"We'll have to do something about that. Come on!"

 

Nervously Severus knocked on Argus Flich's door. Filch opened and looked at him, then smiled.

"Ah, yes, Professor Dumbledore said you might come to see your bird. He's right over there on the table wreaking havoc with my report papers.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that!" Severus quickly apologised. "It's just that he's so curious. He thinks anything you leave lying around's a toy, you know."

"Hmm..." mused Filch intrigued. "That might be useful! Think I could train him to pick up dropped papers and forgotten quills, for me?"

"Sure! Just feed him every time he grabs something and he'll take everything to you. He might start stealing though." grinned Severus. "He's still my raven, after all and pets do tend to take on their masters habits, you know."

"Yes, I've heard about that incident." grumbled Filch no longer smiling.

Severus walked into the room and the raven immediately dropped the papers he was busily tearing up and flew over to sit on his shoulder and be patted. Severus caressed him gently. It felt good to be still recognised!

"You wouldn't happen to have any flea-powder I could borrow, would you?" he asked Filch.

"Why would I? You know I'm a squib! And I wouldn't give you any even if I did! You're not supposed to leave Hogwarts, remember!" scolded Filch.

"Not floo-powder! Flea-powder! For my hedgehog." Severus explained holding up his little green friend. "He has fleas!"

Filch eyed the hedgehog. The hedgehog eyed Filch and sniffed his nose disdainfully.

"I'd try giving him a good bath if I were you." recommended Filch after a moment. "But put on some dry clothes first! You'll catch your death running around like this!"

"Will do!" grinned Severus. "Thanks!"

He handed the protesting raven back to Filch and turned to leave, but hesitated in the door.

"Can I come back and see him again some time?"

"Sure, any time. Just come over and knock!"

Severus smiled and with another "Thanks!" dashed off towards the common room.

 

Draco entered the bathroom to find a very wet and soapy Severus scrubbing away at something in the far corner. There was water splashed everywhere! Judging by how wet everything was Severus must have been at it for hours!

Draco carefully crept closer trying to avoid the deepest puddles as best he could. Still water soon got into both his shoes soaking his socks. Annoyed he considered going back and making the first years let him use their bathroom, but it was too late now that he was already wet and he was too curious to find out whatever Severus was doing. He decided it was no use avoiding the water anymore anyhow, stepped into the large puddle beside Severus and peered into the basin.

He saw a soap covered green hedgehog!

"Er ... Severus, I don't think you'll get the colour off of him that way." he remarked trying hard to keep a strait face. Just how desperate was Severus? And why didn't he just use the counter-spell?

"I'm not trying to!" explained Severus in his matter-of-factly voice. "I'm just trying to drown the fleas!"

"That thing's got fleas?" shrieked Draco jumping back. "Don't give any to me!"

"Hedgehog fleas." clarified Severus still in his matter-of-factly persona. "They don't like human blood."

"Why don't you just turn him into an ashtray and hand him in to McGonagall?" asked Draco. "It'd save you the trouble."

"I already tried to turn him into an ashtray, blondie! He just turned green!"

"You mean it really was an accident?" asked Draco surprised. "I thought ..." He stopped. Then started to giggle. This was hilarious. Severus Snape the great potions master of Hogwarts was unable to turn a simple hedgehog into an ashtray. A spell even Neville Longbottom could perform without much difficulty!

Severus heard him laugh and snapped. He flung the wet soapy brush, he'd been using on the hedgehog at Draco, who ducked away quickly, and chased him from the room.

Draco raced out as he was unable to fight back because he was laughing so hard.

"That's priceless!" he gasped between his laughter. "Our potions teacher sucks in transfigurations! Wait till I tell everybody!"

Draco dashed into their dorm to tell his friends, but was laughing so hard that he had to let himself drop into his bed and rolled around there much as Severus had that first night when Dumbledore had stood there with the bucket on his head.

Gregory, Vincent and Blaise stood around his bed staring at each other unsure what to do. Was Draco under some sort of spell? Should they get a teacher to help?

"Maybe we ought to call Madame Pomfrey?" suggested Gregory.

"No! I'm fine!" managed Draco panting.

The three of them stood there for almost a minute until Draco could get enough control over himself to sit up and explain.

"It wasn't a prank!" he gasped and dissolved into laughter once again.

"What? What are you talking about?" inquired Vincent while Gregory and Blaise exchanged more puzzled looks. "What wasn't a prank?"

Draco tried hard to speak, but couldn't. Finally he got out: "... hedgehog ... can't transfigure ..."

"You mean Severus?" screamed Gregory in delight. "He can't transfigure a hedgehog into an ashtray?"

Draco nodded. That was easier than speaking.

Now Gregory and Vincent started laughing, too. Blaise stared at them.

"I don't see what's to laugh about. We've still got the school record for lowest score ever in the House Cup!" he declared. "But it is something we can use to torment Severus!" he grinned evilly.

When Severus returned from the bathroom his hedgehog comfortably tucked into a big soft towel the whole common room greeted him with nasty grins and occasional giggles. He was in for a bad evening, he realised, but he had to sit it through. If he retreated now it would only be worse in the morning. Fight the battle now and they'd get tired of it some time.

He slunk into his favourite chair, sat the hedgehog in a towel on the table and began to do homework. (Some Susan's, some of some other people he'd made deals with and a very small part his own, because he was going to copy everything that wasn't potions or DADA as soon as he found someone who'd let him.) He fought off the teasing as best he could using his icy persona and hoping that they didn't realise yet that it meant they were getting to him when he turned cold.

 

A loud rattling and then a sniffing sound jerked Draco out of his sleep.

"Huh, what's up?" mumbled a sleepy Vincent from the next bed.

"What's all that noise?" yawned Gregory.

"There must be something in the room." stated Blaise.

"Well, what do you think it is?" Draco asked him feeling a bit nervous. What if it was a poisonous snake or something?

"How would I know?" Blaise asked back. "I can't see a thing in this darkness."

"Lumos!" said Severus calmly.

His wand lighted immediately and the five boys saw the green hedgehog crawling along one of the walls sniffing and making smacking sounds.

"Severus, get that thing restrained!" ordered Draco impatiently. "I'm tired. It must be about one in the morning."

"Yeah, the little freak's supposed to sleep." complained Gregory.

"He's not a freak!" shouted Severus without thinking. "He's just green. And I think hedgehogs are night active by nature."

"Whatever. Just put him in a box or something before I use the killing curse on him." threatened Blaise. "I want to go back to sleep."

"You wouldn't dare touch him." growled Severus but slipped out of bed and picked up the hedgehog. "Come on Greenie, you're going to sleep."

He looked around for something to put the hedgehog in. He didn't have a cage for him of course and neither were there any empty boxes lying around. So he just put him into an empty drawer in his nightstand and left it a crack open to let some air in.

Relieved everybody turned around to go back to sleep.

Only seconds later loud rattling snarling and growling could be heard emanating from the drawer.

"Oh no!" shouted Draco. "Now he's even louder than before."

"Shut him up, Severus, or else I'll kill him." said Blaise groping around for his wand.

"He'll go to sleep once he realises that he can't get out." answered Severus coldly. "Just wait a few minutes."

About half an hour later Severus finally rolled out of bed, drew open the drawer, picked up the noisy little green hedgehog and walked out of the room. Only seconds later he came back and climbed into his bed again.

"What did you do with him?" asked Draco sleepily.

"Lock him in the bathroom. Nobody'll hear him there. We just have to be careful not to let him run away tomorrow morning." explained Severus.

 

The next morning Gregory was the first to enter the bathroom. The others were still in the dorm hesitant to leave their beds after their hedgehog-disturbed night.

But Gregory's sudden scream got them out of bed and into the bathroom in less then a second. They found Goyle sitting on the floor clasping his left foot with both hands.

"What happened?" asked Vincent as they bent to examine Gregory's foot.

"I stepped on that cursed hedgehog." complained Gregory near tears.

"Greenie!" screamed Severus at once and raced over to the corner where a suspicious green ball was lying motionless.

He picked up the little frightened hedgehog and upon finding no obvious injuries turned his attention back to Gregory.

"Can't you big idiot watch where you're stepping?" he asked accusingly. "You nearly scared him to death."

Gregory who had just discovered that he couldn't walk on his hurt foot shot him an angry glance and declared: "I bet he did that on purpose. He's always picking on me. First it was my nose, then the shower and now he's set his hedgehog on me."

"Want a fight over it?" cold Severus asked.

Draco quickly decided to step in before the situation really deteriorated into a fight.

"Oh, come on Greg, hedgehogs don't attack people." he told his friend calmly. "And we all knew he was in here. You just overlooked him and had an accident."

"Oh yeah? Then why wasn't he locked up in his box or something?" demanded Gregory.

"Because he doesn't have a box yet." declared Severus. "I meant to get one for him today." he added a little less coldly.

"See, it was an accident." Draco said quickly before Gregory could respond with anything Severus might consider a challenge. "Now if you'll just put one arm over Vincent's shoulders and the other over Blaise's they'll help you up to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey will fix your foot in no time, I bet."

"Why don't you carry him yourself?" grumbled Blaise as he and Vincent moved closer to help Gregory.

"Because," grinned Draco smugly. "I'm too small. You and Vincent are nearly the same size. That way Gregory will be much more comfortable."

"Hah! I bet you couldn't even support the weight." snorted Blaise, gabbed Gregory's arm and slung it around his shoulders.

Draco shrugged at them still grinning and watched them limp from the room.

 

As Draco had predicted Madame Pomfrey cured Gregory easily. He was back in time to glare angrily at Severus during breakfast. Severus countered with his usual cold stare. Draco who felt rather uncomfortable sitting between the two did his best to keep all sorts of sticky food out of their reach, but luckily it didn't result in another food-fight. (The threatening presence of Minerva McGonagall only a few paces behind them might have had something to do with that.)

Double potions was the first lesson of the day.

 

Still to come: Dumbledore teaches potions!, Severus working with Harry!, problems with homework, mousetraps, more transfigurations, and some adventures at night


	4. Dumbledore Teaches Potions

Chapter 4: Dumbledore Teaches Potions

 

Headmaster Dumbledore was slightly worried about this lesson. Monday hadn't gone too well. He had had problems finding the right ingredients (Why, oh why, didn't Snape sort them alphabetically?) and his potions hadn't all worked out as he'd planned. He knew enough about potions to be allowed to teach the subject, but it wasn't his area of expertise. He didn't understand the theories behind the potions he was teaching the way Snape did and often found himself unable to answer pupil's questions.

And now he'd have to teach Severus who knew practically everything there was to know about them. He just couldn't afford anything to go wrong during this lesson. Dumbledore had spent half of the night preparing for it. He had everything planned out. Now where were the ingredients he needed for his demonstration?

He went into Snape's office to look for them. There was just enough time to get everything ready before...

Suddenly there was a clattering sound from the hallway, then an angry scream followed by loud screeching.

Albus Dumbledore raced out of Snape's office, unlocked the classroom as fast as he could and stepped into the hallway.

Lavender Brown and Pansy Parkinson were rolling on the floor amidst scattered quills, books and parchments trying to tear each other's hair out, while the other Gryffindor and Slytherin girls were pelting each other with potion ingredients. The boys had formed a near circle around them and were loudly cheering for their respective houses.

"What is going on out here?" the headmaster yelled in his most intimidating voice.

Some of the boys glanced at him uncertainly and the cheering died away slowly. But most of the girls continued unimpressed.

Dumbledore had to admit to himself that he wasn't exactly good at being stern. He obviously lacked the respect that kept these students from getting out of hand when Snape taught them.

It took several minor spells and taking fifty points off of both houses to reestablish order.

He sent the pupils into the room assigning them seats as they went in, in order to get those most likely to start trouble to sit beside the most peaceful. That was a difficult task especially where the Slytherins were concerned. He just didn't know which ones got along and which ones were likely to encourage each other to pick on his Gryffindors. Then he remembered that he was currently supposed to be head of Slytherin. And he didn't even understand the inner workings of 'his' new house.

Once the whole class was seated he turned his attention back to Pansy and Lavender. Lavender had been assigned to sit beside her best friend Parvati at one end of the class, while he'd placed Pansy at the other end with Draco.

The later pairing didn't seem to have been such a good idea since Draco looked very annoyed. 'Odd.' Albus thought to himself, 'I thought he liked her.' He had hoped their interest in each other would keep them from causing trouble, but it seemed he had misjudged their relationship. He'd have to make better arrangements next time. Could he ask Severus how to best pair the Slytherins? Where was Severus anyway? It was two past nine in the meantime.

"Miss Brown and Miss Parkinson, could you please explain what this was all about!" he said as sternly as he could.

"Pug-face upturned my bag!" screeched Lavender.

"I fell over it accidentally!" claimed Pansy shaking her fist at Lavender.

Dumbledore sighed and quickly stepped between the two despite the fact that they were separated by a whole classroom. How did Snape manage to keep control of things?

"Well, in that case Miss Parkinson I suggest you go out there and pick up Miss Brown's things for her as a sign of your good will." he ordered.

Pansy glared at him and muttered something under her breath, but walked out to get the stuff anyway.

The moment the door had closed behind her it opened again and Harry Potter raced in.

"Sorry!" he gasped. "I forgot my book in the tower and had to go back for it."

Dumbledore barely suppressed a moan. He had paired up the whole class not even considering that there might be any latecomers. Now Harry'd have to work with Severus and he'd have to punish both of them for being late. (He'd have spared Harry, but then he'd have to go easy on Severus as well and that would just encourage him to behave even worse.)

"That will be two points off Gryffindor, Mr. Potter." he announced. "Please sit down over there." He indicated an empty worktable right behind Ron and Hermione. There Harry would at least have the help of his friends if Severus gave him any trouble. Severus however would be surrounded by Gryffindors since Neville and Dean were seated to their right. Well, keeping him away from the other Slytherins might not be such a bad idea considering their fight of the day before.

Albus told the pupils to read page 362 in their book which described the potion they were going to make. He'd decided to do another, easier healing potion than the one that had caused the disaster the week before. He had two very good reasons for that: The first which he told the pupils was that he feared Neville might end up with the youth-potion once again and turn himself or one of his classmates into a baby with it. The second which he wisely kept to himself was that he didn't trust his own skills enough to teach the difficult version.

Once everybody had opened their book and was busy reading he returned to the office to finally get those ingredients he needed.

He found most of what he needed quickly enough and was reaching for the last jar when he once again heard shouting and screaming.

Quickly he grabbed the ingredients, adding a few he didn't even need in his hurry, and raced back into the classroom where the Slytherins and Gryffindors were throwing their potion ingredients at each other and screaming insults.

It seemed Pansy had returned with Lavender's stuff and set off their rivalry once again.

Dumbledore dropped everything onto his desk and began separating pupils and steering them back to their seats. Unluckily most of them jumped back up and rejoined the fight as soon as he turned his back on them.

What was he to do? The situation was totally out of control. Why had he ever permitted Slytherin and Gryffindor to have classes together? He knew they didn't get along. This was impossible. The combination just couldn't be taught.

Suddenly the door opened behind him and silence fell over the room. Within one heartbeat, it seemed, all pupils were back sitting quietly at their worktables. Dumbledore was left standing alone in the middle of the classroom surrounded by a mess of spilled potion ingredients.

Slowly he turned around to see what miracle had restored the class to order.

"Having trouble teaching my class?" asked Severus nonchalantly as he strolled into the room carrying a large cage of the sort one would use for a rabbit. In it sat the little green hedgehog.

For a moment Dumbledore just stared at him. Then he remembered that he had to punish him.

"Why are you late?" he demanded sternly.

"I had to see Mr. Filch to get a cage for my hedgehog." answered Severus calmly. "Did I miss anything important or just a good fight?"

"Five points off Slytherin for being late Severus." Dumbledore announced. "And I don't care if what you missed was important or not. You are supposed to be here at nine. Now sit down! You'll be working with Mr. Potter."

Severus glanced at the seat Dumbledore was pointing at and then gave him another one of his cute little pouts.

"You can't make me sit with the Gryffindors, Albus!" he complained.

Albus Dumbledore felt his heart melt. Oh, Severus was such a sweet kid! And how could he make his friend work with the very boy he disliked the most. 'Wait a minute! That little rat's doing it again! He's trying to trick me into not punishing him by acting innocent. Well, I'll show him!'

"Yes I can!" said Dumbledore firmly and without a trace of his usual humour. "Now sit down and don't call me Albus in class!"

"Yes, ... Albus." grinned Severus as he trudged over to his seat.

Harry greeted him with a distrustful look and moved his chair away from him as best he could while still remaining seated at the table.

"I said don't call me Albus!" repeated Dumbledore getting angry.

"Then don't call me Severus again." answered Severus calmly as he set down the cage by the table, opened it, lifted out the hedgehog and gently set it on the table where it immediately began sniffing around curiously.

"And there will be another twenty points taken off Slytherin for starting a fight in my class." Dumbledore declared deciding to ignore Severus' comment.

"But that's not fair!" exclaimed Draco. "The Gryffindors were fighting, too."

"I can't blame them for fighting back." explained Dumbledore.

"How could you know who started it? You weren't even in the room." argued Draco.

"No I didn't see it, but I know what you Slytherins are like. Now get back to work before I take any more points off you." ordered Dumbledore.

"You're supposed to be our head of house." complained Draco softly as he bent his head over his book obediently. "You're supposed to be on our side."

Dumbledore pretended he hadn't heard that. But secretly he had to agree. He really wasn't doing a good job as head of Slytherin. He couldn't bring himself to like that house. He felt Severus' angry glare on his back as he walked to the front of the room to start his demonstration, but didn't turn around. Right now he didn't want to look Severus in the eyes.

Instead he plunged into the demonstration without even putting his ingredients in order first. 'I ought to have everything here on the table anyway. I'll find it. No problem.' he thought.

He lit the fire, poured water into the cauldron and was just searching for the frog's teeth when Severus jumped up, walked up to the teacher's desk and peered into the cauldron.

"You have to add more water, Albus! This won't work otherwise."

"That's it!" shouted Dumbledore. "I've lost my last little bit of patience with this class! The next person who speaks without raising their hand first will loose their house ten points. Severus, sit back down at once! I mean it! I'm the one who is teaching this class and I know exactly what I'm doing! - Oh and one more thing: DON'T CALL ME ALBUS!"

Severus gave him a quizzical look and decided it was probably better to comply considering the fact that he'd never even seen Albus Dumbledore this angry before in his life (and he had known him for quite some time). He cast one last doubtful look at the cauldron, shrugged and returned to his seat.

For a while the class barely dared to breathe. Then Hermione tentatively raised her hand. Dumbledore who had finally found the frog's teeth and was just throwing them into the boiling water acknowledged her with a nod.

"Ahm, professor." Hermione ventured carefully, "Don't you think you really should add some more water? According to the textbook..."

"No, I don't!" Dumbledore cut her off briskly. "I know exactly what I'm doing!"

Hermione quickly shut up and sat back down shaking her head in confusion. What was wrong with Dumbledore?

"Sure you do!" mumbled Severus unluckily just loud enough for Dumbledore to hear.

"Another ten points off Slytherin!" was the prompt reaction.

Severus just sighed and buried his face in his arms. Draco rolled his eyes at him, but of course Severus couldn't see him.

Nobody said a word as Dumbledore continued his demonstration, but nobody took any notes either. Instead they shot quick glances over at Severus every once in a while trying to tell from the look on his face if Dumbledore was doing something right or not. Severus however sat stone faced staring at a point just above Dumbledore's head.

'He might just be waiting for the big bang.' thought Draco uneasily. 'Or maybe only for the bell?'

At that moment Dumbledore realised that he didn't have everything he needed. He looked up from the potion ingredients on his desk and gave the class an appraising look. Nobody was even moving.

"It seems I forgot to prepare the beetle eyes." he told them. "Don't you dare make any sound at all while I go and get them!"

He turned and walked into the office.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked into the quiet room as soon as he'd gone.

"Oh he's just a bit overworked." declared Severus calmly. "Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" asked Hermione. "It's rather dangerous mixing up potions if he doesn't follow the recipe. Maybe we should add some water while he isn't looking?"

"Could he blow up the school with this one, Severus?" asked Draco eying the bubbling and smoking cauldron.

"No, he's just gonna burn the potion if he doesn't come back soon. Somebody in the first row'd better extinguish the fire if the smoke turns black and it starts smelling burnt, though." Severus recommended.

"Ok, I'll do that." promised Vincent who was closest to Dumbledore's desk.

The sound of shattering glass could be heard from the office, then Dumbledore cursing softly.

"M..maybe we ought to give him some beetle eyes out of the student's supplies, before he hurts himself." suggested Neville timidly.

"Albus, the beetle eyes are right next to the door!" shouted Severus worried about the safety of his precious ingredients. "Third shelf down, second jar from the left!"

"Got them! - And don't call me Albus!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when Dumbledore returned to the classroom a small jar in his hands.

He tried to open it, but the lid wouldn't move. He tried to pull harder, wiped his hands on his robes and tried again. Nothing. Dumbledore pulled out his wand and tapped it against the jar. Nothing.

"You have to push it in and turn at the same time." Severus remarked calmly. "That one's been a bit tricky ever since I lost the original lid and had to replace it with one from another jar that had broken."

Dumbledore glared at him angrily but tried anyway. Still nothing. He reached for his wand once more.

Severus sighed and got up.

"You can't open this one magically. Here let me do it." he said and pulled the jar out of Dumbledore's hands ignoring the headmaster's angry glare. "Here you go, Albus!"

"Get. Back. To. Your. Seat. And. Don't. Call. Me. Albus." growled Dumbledore as he took the open jar and added the beetle eyes to his potion. "And another ten points off Slytherin for your repeated disobedience."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you!" screamed Severus.

"Well don't! I'd be long done with this demonstration if you didn't interrupt me all the time. So sit down and don't try to do anything productive!" ordered Dumbledore.

"Yes, Sir!" said Severus sarcastically and a little grin appeared on his face as he returned to his seat. 'Don't do anything productive, huh?' Well he could be very unproductive indeed. Now where did he put those fire crackers he'd stolen from Gregory?

Dumbledore continued his demonstration in comfortable silence. (Well comfortable for him. Everybody else was very tense.)

The potion turned into a dark, thick, sticky goo. It was so dense Dumbledore couldn't even stir it anymore. Instead the whole cauldron started to turn every time he tried.

"Are you going to add some water, now?" Draco asked Dumbledore trying hard to keep his face neutral.

"Alright, alright. Maybe I should have used a little more water." conceded Dumbledore.

"Yeah, maybe." mumbled Severus. "Maybe you should have listened to the expert in the first place, too."

If Dumbledore had heard him he didn't react. He poured water into his potion until its consistency returned to normal and then told the pupils to try and make the potion themselves.

Remembering Dumbledore's problem with the beetle eyes Harry, like most of his classmates, decided to start by writing a list of ingredients they would need. Severus proved to be a real asset as he didn't even need to look into any book or notes to list the ingredients. 'Guess I should have just sent him to get the stuff and we wouldn't have needed the list.' Harry thought. 'If I could have convinced him to get it, that is.'

Surprisingly Severus didn't even have to be convinced to join him when he went over to the student's supplies cupboard to get the ingredients. They had to stop when they passed the teacher's desk, because everybody else was heading the same way as them and there was no room to move on.

Severus took one of the jars on the desk and looked at it curiously.

"What's that?" Harry asked mildly interested. He didn't remember seeing that one before.

"Everglow." said Severus. "It's a sort of magic paint that glows in neon colours and is nearly impossible to remove."

"What's that doing here? It isn't part of our potion. Or is it?" Harry asked confused.

"No, it's not. Albus's got some ingredients here that he definitely doesn't need." shrugged Severus toying with the lid of the jar. "I wonder why he brought them."

(Actually he was referring to the stuff Dumbledore had accidentally brought along when the fight had broken out in the classroom, but he couldn't know of course since he had arrived after that.)

Once the way was clear Severus put the everglow back onto the desk and they got their supplies. Harry noted that Severus slipped a small vial into his pocket that they didn't need, but he decided not to comment. Severus no doubt knew what the thing was for. Maybe he was working on a little project of his own. 'Trying to change himself back, most likely. I guess that would be good. Dumbledore might not take so many points off Gryffindor, but at least Snape isn't likely to blow up the whole school by accident.'

They set up their ingredients in a neat line in exactly the order in which they would be used. No way would they be as disorganised as Dumbledore. Though Harry remembered that Snape often worked with a disorganised hype of ingredients on his desk. He never did have to look for anything the way Dumbledore had done, though.

As he set up the cauldron and filled it with water Harry noticed that Severus pulled a piece of cloth over his hedgehog, slipped out his wand and gently tipped it against the wall.

ZOOM! A Filibuster fire cracker went of inside the closed jar of everglow. The jar broke and neon pink liquid sprayed the whole room.

Harry looked around in amazement. Everything was covered in pink dots. They had even reached up to the ceiling, where they looked almost like a pink star chart on the black paint. Ron's red hair looked terrible with pink dots and one of the Slytherin girls was desperately rubbing away at her glasses with the sleeve of her black and pink robe trying to get the everglow off before it dried.

Harry realised how lucky he had been that he'd been looking at Severus and therefore away from the teacher's desk when the jar had exploded. If the stuff had hit his glasses they'd have been ruined.

"Don't worry, the spots on your hair and hands will wear off after a couple of days." grinned Severus.

"A couple of DAYS!" shouted Harry. "We'll have to run around looking like this for days!"

"Hey, so will I. What's the big deal?" answered Severus still grinning as he uncovered the little green hedgehog and carefully inspected him for any damage.

Greenie blinked a little at the sudden return of light, sniffed at Severus and set of to explore one of the strange pink dots that had suddenly appeared on the table. He seemed absolutely fine and thanks to the covering cloth hadn't even suffered a single pink spot on his Slytherin green body.

Dumbledore stared at the remains of the fire cracker that lay on his table among the shards left by the explosion of the jar. Somehow that thing seemed familiar. What prankster had used a fire cracker to douse everybody in some kind of liquid before?

"Another ten points off Slytherin." he announced weakly. "Are you hoping for some kind of award when you reach -1000, Severus?"

"Who? Me?" Severus looked absolutely confused and innocent. "Why?"

'Oh no, not his angel face again! I can't resist him when he looks at me like that. He's just too cute.' thought Dumbledore. "Just get back to work everybody!" he ordered.

Slowly the class calmed down again and returned to brewing their potions. Severus let Harry do most of the work only commenting whenever he was about to make a mistake. Harry was feeling exploited, but on the other hand he could be sure that his potion would be absolutely perfect.

While Harry was stirring his potion Severus strolled over to where Neville and Dean were working, slipped the vial out of his pocket and poured the ingredients into Neville's cauldron. Then he raced back to his own desk ducking under it without explanation to Harry.

Harry however was clever enough to immediately follow suit.

Before the enraged Dean could reach Severus in his hiding place the second explosion of the day shook the classroom and blood red mist rose from Neville's cauldron. Neville who had been covered with his own potion by the explosion shrieked in terror as his body started emitting red smoke.

In the confined place under the table Severus grinned triumphantly at Harry.

Dumbledore who feared that Neville might be in serious pain raced over to him, but discovered that he hadn't suffered any damage at all. He hadn't even been burned for the potion had been turned surprisingly cold by whatever it was that Severus had added to it. And Dumbledore didn't have the slightest idea whatever might cause a simple healing potion to dissolve into red smoke. But that was exactly what Neville and Dean's potion did. Within two minutes every trace of both the potion and the smoke had disappeared as if they had never been.

"Another ten points off Slytherin!" announced Dumbledore. 'Am I beginning to repeat myself like some broken muggle record?' he thought. It seemed that taking points off Slytherin had lost all it's effect on the pupils, but how else could he possibly punish Severus? Detention! He'd have to start giving some detentions.

As he walked through the room observing the efforts of his pupils Dumbledore wondered why he was making them brew a healing potion that could cure wounds when all he needed was something against headaches. He'd have to go up to the hospital wing right after the lesson. Madam Pomfrey would sure have something to cure his head. Maybe he ought to ask her for some kind of nerve calming potion as well?

The noise outside had died down. Greenie cautiously stuck his nose out. Nothing smelled suspicious. He decided to risk uncurling far enough to stick out his entire face. No more red mist. He unrolled himself completely and set of again.

The pink dots had become boring after a while. They all looked and smelled the same. They didn't move or make any kind of sound and they didn't have any kind of taste either.

The hedgehog was looking for something else that might be more entertaining.

There! Something smelled good. He new that smell. A delicious fat snail. One of his favourite meals.

Greenie followed the smell and soon found the snail. Mmmmmh! With a happy smacking sound he grabbed the treat and started chewing.

"Aah! Get away from my potion ingredients you little green monster!" shouted Harry and pushed the hedgehog away from the snails stinging his hand badly in the process.

He sucked at the injury glaring down at the curled up green hedgehog. Why couldn't Severus turn the stupid thing into an ashtray. Oh right, he wasn't able to perform the spell. But why didn't he just throw the ugly animal out. 'It belongs in the forest where the werewolves can eat it.' he thought.

Greenie not really shocked at being handled anymore uncurled again and found to his joy that though the snail had disappeared he was sitting in front of a jar full of nice tasty beetles instead. He didn't waste any more time mourning the lost snail and dug right in.

Harry saw the hedgehog eating even more of his potion supplies and took out his wand. Enough was enough. He'd take matters into his own hands now and finally turn the spiky little monster into a nice harmless ashtray.

Harry pointed his wand at the hedgehog and started to say the spell.

"Nooo!" screamed Severus and threw himself at Harry just in time. A blue flash hit the desk right beside Greenie who immediately curled back up in fear. Where was that nice human who always carried him around and gave him delicious potatoes? He could really use his help now. He could carry him anywhere even back into that horrible drawer if he just took him away from here.

Severus and Harry were rolling on the floor kicking and hitting and, in Severus' case, scratching and biting at each other.

Draco jumped up. "Go Severus! Show the Gryffindors!"

Vincent and Gregory grinned at each other. "Yay! Fight!"

They looked around for some Gryffindors, grabbed Dean and Seamus and started hitting away at them.

Hermione shrieked: "Oh no! Harry!"

Ron was jumping up and down beside his desk shouting: "Harry! Harry! Harry! ..."

Dumbledore had to stupefy both Vincent and Gregory before he could reach the two smaller boys and tear them apart. Both were struggling hard to shake him off and get at each other again and he barely managed to keep them apart.

"Detention for all of you!" he announced.

"What the entire class?" exclaimed Parvaty who hadn't done anything at all.

"No, all the Slytherins!" clarified Dumbledore. "And Harry if you don't return to your seat right now I'll have to take five points off Gryffindor and I'd hate to do that."

"But Harry started it all!" protested Severus. "He attacked Greenie!"

"Severus, I don't want to hear any more of your Slytherin lies! Return to your seats and finish your potions! You will serve your detentions right here after dinner today and anybody who shows up late will get an extra detention with Mr. Filch. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir!" hissed Severus as he returned to his desk.

He put Greenie back into his cage, sat down and didn't move for the rest of the lesson except to glare coldly at anybody who asked him to get out of the way. They all just had to work around him.

Hermione leaned over to Ron and whispered: "I don't like this. Dumbledore is behaving just as unfairly as Snape."

"So what?" Ron grinned back at her. "He's giving some back to the Slytherins. I love this."

"But that's not right, Ron. He's supposed to be their head of house and they already don't trust him because he was in Gryffindor. What are they going to do when they find they have nobody to turn to with their problems?"

"Oh come on, Hermione. That's their problem, not ours. And it's only gonna last for a few days anyway. As soon as Snape is back we're gonna wish Dumbledore was still here to punish them for all their pranks and taunting. Let's enjoy it while it lasts."

"Well, I guess you're right." Hermione conceded. "But he should have punished Harry, too. He was fighting just as much as Severus was."

"What? Hermione, do you really want Harry to get punished?"

"Well, no. Of course not. Harry is my friend and I don't want him to get into trouble. But can't Dumbledore see what he's doing to Severus? It's got to be horrible for a teacher to be a pupil in his own class. He knows more about this stuff than Dumbledore, but Dumbledore won't let him help. I bet he's just starting all this trouble because he's so frustrated about it he doesn't know what to do. And Dumbledore reacts by putting down his house, which will only serve to make him even angrier."

"So what?" Ron said again. "That's Snape we're talking about. Let him suffer."

"But... It's just not right, Ron." Hermione didn't know how to explain.

Harry saw his friends talking and leaned over to them.

"What's the matter?" he asked when he noticed that they were quarrelling.

"Hermione's feeling sorry for Snape." Ron explained.  
"Sorry? For Snape?" Harry asked confused. "Why? He's getting everybody in trouble with his pranks and has nothing but fun. He can't get bad marks. He can't be expelled. He can do whatever he likes and everybody is trying to be nice to him."

"It's all just an act, Harry." said Hermione. "None of the kids like him so he acts tough so they won't realise how lonely and vulnerable he is. All the teachers are worried about him so he acts like he's having fun."

"Oh no!" said Ron rolling his eyes. "Last year it was 'Save the house elves!'. This year it's 'Save Snape!' What will you want us to do for next year's campaign? 'Save the death eaters!'?"

Hermione glared angrily at Ron, turned away from him and since the lesson had just ended collected her books and stormed out of the room.

Harry and Ron shrugged at each other and decided to give her some time alone to cool of. They packed their stuff and walked out more slowly.

As they passed the door they saw the Slytherin boys stand in the hall a few paces from the door.

"Can I copy your transfigurations homework, Draco?" they heard Severus say.

"What? No way! Do it yourself!"

"I'll do your potions homework for you." Severus promised. "And I won't copy it exactly. I'll add some mistakes. McGonagall won't notice a thing. And even if she does who do you think she'll suspect? She knows I suck at transfigurations."

"I said no, Severus!" Draco shot back. "And I'm definitely not stupid enough to let you do any of my homework. You'd get me an F just for a laugh."

"No I wouldn't!" insisted Severus. "I wouldn't do that. Not to you. And especially not if we made a deal."

"Yeah, sure." laughed Draco. "Even Dumbledore knows what a liar you are."

That hurt more than Severus wanted to admit even to himself. He turned to Blaise.

"How about you? Can I copy your homework?"

"No!" said Blaise and turned away from him.

"Vincent?"

"Not a chance!"

"Gregory?"

'Wow, he must really be desperate to ask Gregory!' thought Draco. 'He has to know Gregory's the most stupid kid in this school.'

"No!" said Gregory.

'Well, maybe he isn't all that stupid after all.' thought Draco.

 

McGonagall once again was at her post near the Slytherin table at lunchtime. The situation had calmed down, though. They still didn't like Severus, but they had begun to accept the fact that he was there and had mostly turned their attention towards other things.

Most of the Gryffindors arrived late for some unknown reason and Draco happened to look up as Harry's clique finally walked in.

Ginny Weasly wore her long red hair open that day with only a yellow ribbon to hold it out of her face. It fell in slight curls over her shoulders that bounced around with every movement. Harry said something to Hermione and Ginny laughed. and brushed her hair back behind her shoulders with both hands.

What a sweet laugh she had. Why hadn't he ever noticed that before?

"Maybe we could sneak out after detention if it doesn't take too long and go flying." suggested Gregory.

"Yeah that'd be nice. But I think there's little chance Dumbledore will let us out early. What do you think Draco?" asked Vincent.

"Hmm? Sure." mumbled Draco still staring at Ginny.

"Huh? Hey, Draco!" called Gregory. "We're talking to you!"

"Mmm, yes, I hear you."

Severus stopped eating an regarded Draco closely.

"What are you looking at?" he asked him after a while.

"Ginny." answered Draco absentmindedly.

"Ah, yes." Severus looked over to the Gryffindor table then back at Draco. "I understand."

"Huh?" said Gregory once again.

"Understand what? What are you on about Severus?" asked Vincent.

"Ginny." stated Severus as if that explained everything.

"Ginny?" asked Blaise getting interested. "What about Ginny?"

"She's pretty." mumbled Draco still not taking his eyes off of her. Blaise began to wonder if Draco really realised he had said anything at all.

"So what." said Vincent. "She's still just another poor, muggle loving Weasley."

"Mmm-hmm." hummed Draco.

"Your father wouldn't like that, you know." remarked Severus giggling.

"Mmm-hmm."

Vincent grabbed Draco by the shoulders and shook him.

"Hey Draco! Wake up!" he jelled.

"Wha.. Stop shaking me, will you!" Draco shoved Vincent away.

"Did she hypnotise you or something?" wondered Blaise.

"Huh? What? Who?" stammered Draco. What had they been talking about? Why had Vincent shaken him? Well, obviously because they'd noticed that he hadn't been paying attention. And what was Severus giggling about?

Draco looked from one face to the next. They were all looking back at him with those odd expressions.

"Well, at least he's looking at us again." stated Vincent in a satisfied tone.

Severus laughed even harder.

Draco turned to him. He seemed to be fighting a really bad laughing attack.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked. Maybe that'd clear things up a bit.

"You are." giggled Severus.

Draco looked down at himself. He still had some pink spots from the everglow incident. They all did. But that couldn't be what Severus was laughing about. Or could it? Draco turned back towards Vincent, Gregory and Blaise.

"What's with him?" he asked indicating Severus.

Vincent and Blaise exchanged a blank look. Gregory just looked at Draco. He was used to not having a clue about what was going on around him.

"We have no idea." answered Vincent for all of them.

Draco sighed and returned to his meal. He had to find a way to talk to Ginny.


	5. Homework, Lizards and Mousetraps

Chapter 5: Homework, Lizards and Mousetraps

 

Severus found to his surprise that Albus Dumbledore still hadn't changed his password and so the Slytherin fifth years trotted straight into the headmaster's office for their detention.

Dumbledore did a quick headcount. "Everybody here? Fine. Follow me!"

There was some grumbling behind him as he led them back into the dungeons. He probably should have told them to meet him at Snape's office, but the thought hadn't occurred to him at the time.

They soon reached the hallway in front of the potions classroom which was still strewed with potion ingredients. By now those had been trampled on repeatedly and were smeared all over the floor.

"We will split you into two groups now." declared Dumbledore smiling and twinkling happily. "Boys and girls to make it easier. The girls will clean up this mess here while the boys are to clean the classroom. You can leave when everything's spotless."

The Slytherins groaned. They didn't feel like smiling and twinkling at all.

"But Albus," complained Severus. "Those pink spots are everglow. We'll be scrubbing for hours."

"In that case I suggest that you hurry up and get started, because I'm not letting you leave until they're all gone." said Dumbledore calmly.

'Oh yeah?' thought Severus. 'We'll see about that.'

While the others went to get buckets and brushes from Filch he secretly slipped into the office and quickly mixed the contents of several vials together. Lucky he had kept those handy. He'd never have managed to brew them without Dumbledore noticing his absence.

He returned just in time as the others had brought in their buckets full of water and were beginning to scrub. Only Draco noticed when Severus dripped some of his mixture into each of the buckets.

"Pst!" whispered Severus. "Don't worry. It won't explode."

"But what is it?" asked Draco softly as Severus knelt down beside him and pretended to be working.

Severus grinned. "Glittersoap."

"Oh no! Severus, he'll hate us for this."

"Only if he ever finds out. That's everglow after all. The soap won't affect the dust or the spilled potion ingredients on the floor."

Indeed an hour later the potions dungeon was sparkling clean and neat. But so were the everglow stains looking more than ever like pink stars on the shiny black paint.

The girls were done with the floor outside and Dumbledore sent them off. Then he came to check on the boys. He found everything gleaming like new. Only those dreadful pink dots still remained.

"We cleaned everything as best we could." Severus, who had spent most of the time drawing glittering patterns in the dust, assured him.

Draco nearly reminded him of that, but then he remembered one beautifully glowing dragon that had resided under the teacher's desk for a few minutes and decided to say nothing.

"Only those pink Spots wont come off." Vincent explained to Dumbledore.

"Yes, it seems the more we scrub, the more they glow." complained Blaise. "It's as if we were polishing them instead."

Draco nearly burst out laughing. After all that was exactly what they were doing. How did Severus manage to keep a straight face?

The boys looked at Dumbledore expectantly.

The headmaster glanced around the classroom and took in the glowing spots and the boys in their soaked robes.

"Keep scrubbing!" he commanded. "They have to come off sometime. We can't leave the classroom looking like this."

Sighing they went back to work. They scrubbed the whole room again and again...

and again ...

and again...

"Do you realise that we've ruined your blackboard?" Draco asked Severus sometime later while they were both standing on chairs on top of a table pretending to scrub the ceiling.

"No we haven't. At least I know how to fix it." stated Severus calmly.

"But Dumbledore will give us another detention when he notices that he can't write on it anymore."

"He won't notice until he tries." shrugged Severus. "And that won't happen until the Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's lesson tomorrow morning. He'll never make any connection to us. So who do you think will get the detention? The Ravenclaws or the Hufflepuffs?"

"Hm ... Do you know how to get the everglow off, too?"

"Of course I do. Or did you think I'd decorate my own classroom in pink spots if I didn't?"

"Oh."

It was past midnight when Dumbledore finally gave in and sent them to bed.

"Ha." whispered Severus as they tiptoed through the empty common room. "I won!"

"I hate you." yawned Draco.

Severus just grinned. Draco could have told on him any time.

 

When Severus arrived for his second transfiguration lesson Minerva McGonagall stopped him right at the door.

"What is that?" she demanded sternly pointing at the large cage he was, as always, carrying.

"That?" he asked confused. "That's just Greenie."

"Greenie?" said McGonagall equally confused. "Whatever is a greenie?"

"Not a greenie." corrected Severus. "Just Greenie, my hedgehog. It's his name."

"Name?" gasped Professor McGonagall. "You're supposed to turn that little monster into an ashtray not name it, or carry it around in a cage."

"But he's cute!" exclaimed Severus without thinking.

The whole room fell silent. His classmates stared at him. Had Severus Snape actually said that something was cute? And without an ironic sneer?

Severus realised too late the damage this would do to his tough reputation. Well, since it was too late anyway he gave McGonagall his cutest little boy smile.

"He's cute." he repeated. "And I like him. And I don't see whatever I should need to know how to turn him into an ashtray for. I don't smoke, you know. I don't like ashtrays. They're ugly and stink."

McGonagall stood open-mouthed. Whatever could she say to this?

"You refuse to turn that hedgehog into an ashtray?" She enquired after a moment.

"Yes. Could you please turn him back to his normal colour, Professor?" begged Severus.

"Severus, listen!" Minerva McGonagall sighed. This was like talking to a six year old. "A hedgehog is not a pet. It's a wild animal full of spikes and parasites. It doesn't carry post like an owl. It has no magical qualities whatsoever. You can't even cuddle it like a cat. This one is only here for magical practise."

"Ok, ok." conceded Severus. "Let's just say I failed once again, like I always do in your class, and that Greenie's been used and you can turn him back now and I'll let him run back off into the wild and everybody's happy."

"No Severus, I'm not going to turn him back for you." insisted McGonagall.

Severus pouted.

'Aw... He's so cute!' thought Minerva, she had to end this hedgehog-debate once and for all before she got weak and let him have his way.

"If you're not going to turn him into an ashtray, this hedgehog has no place in my class." she declared. "So unless you want me to get really angry you'd better take it out of here right now."

"But I always take Greenie to class with me!" complained Severus. "Nobody has objected before."

"Well you are not to bring it into my class ever again. Now take it away!"

"Yes, Professor." mumbled Severus as he turned and walked out.

Now where could he leave Greenie during transfiguration lessons? The safest place, he decided, had to be in his dorm. His classmates couldn't be there and in class at the same time and nobody else had any reason to go in there.

On the stairs he ran into Dumbledore who was carrying one of his potions books.

"Severus." the headmaster greeted him. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Professor McGonagall kicked Greenie out. I'm just taking him away." explained Severus.

Dumbledore started.

"Professor McGonnagal?" Since when did Severus call her that?

"Yes. She doesn't seem to like hedgehogs." answered Severus misunderstanding the question.

"Doesn't like hedgehogs, eh?" said Dumbledore as he bent down to regard Greenie.

The little green hedgehog blinked at him and sniffed his little green nose. Was that funny guy gonna feed him? No, he was just looking and blinking back. Greenie decided to go and look for something more interesting. Hadn't that other one left another potato somewhere?

"He looks quite likable to me." decided Dumbledore.

"And what are you doing with my book, Albus?" demanded Severus. "Shouldn't you be in class, too?"

"I've got a free period right now and I need your book, because I 'm still looking for that antidote for you." smiled Dumbledore, not feeling insulted in the least.

It seemed he was returning to normal. Maybe he was getting used to teaching again.

"Albus, I don't think you have a very good chance to be the one who comes up with the solution." he advised. "Leave it to the experts. You already have more than enough to do without trying to create antidotes to potions you don't even understand."

"I'm still gonna try." insisted Dumbledore. "Who knows, I might get lucky. Now run along before Minerva gets angry with you."

"She already is." Severus mumbled as he continued on down the stairs.

When he returned to class Professor McGonagall handed him a twig.

"You are supposed to turn this into a lizard." she explained seeing his confused look. "I do not want any green twigs, Severus and would prefer the lizards to be brown."

"Um ... I don't think I can do that, Professor." Severus admitted looking very embarrassed.

"All right, all right," conceded McGonagall with a sigh. "If it is otherwise a normal lizard it may be green. There are green lizards in nature, after all."

After a short explanation she sat down at her desk to take a look at their homework.

'Oh no!' thought Severus. 'Hope she doesn't notice'

He had to at least do well with his twig. He concentrated as hard as he could and tried.

The twig turned green.

"Oh no!" he moaned softly.

The pupils in the row in front of him turned to see what had happened. Severus buried his face in his arms and mumbled: "Don't you have your own twigs to stare at?"

"Not me!" grinned Hermione holding up a struggling lizard. "Not anymore."

"Oh, Hermione!" exclaimed Neville in awe. "You're fantastic! Could you help me do it, too? Mine still has a wooden tail."

"Sure." said Hermione and walked over to Neville.

Severus closed his eyes to block out all the staring Gryffindors (and a few equally staring Slytherins as well) and tried again.

When he looked again his twig had actually changed: It now had four side branches, right where the legs of the lizard ought to be. Well, that was definitely an improvement. Maybe this time he would actually manage.

"Hey, stay here you stupid lizard!" He heard Ron shout and looking up saw him chase something very small and very fast under his desk.

Severus cast a quick glance around the classroom. It seemed everybody was on their feet chasing their lizards. At least they had no more time to stare at him.

He tried again. This time with his eyes open.

"A green twig with a thick end and four stumps for legs?" sneered a familiar voce right beside him.

Severus looked up to find Draco leaning against his desk a lizard in one hand a short brown tail in the other.

"Well at least mine is still in one piece." he declared coldly.

"Most of them lost their tails during the chase." admitted Draco. "It only shows how perfect they are."

'I'll show him perfect.' thought Severus. 'This time I'll do it right.'

He concentrated once again, but before he could point his wand at the remotely lizard shaped twig McGonagall demanded: "Where is your homework, Severus?"

Oh-oh, trouble! Severus gave her his best puppy dog look.

"Somewhere on your desk?"

"No it's not!" said McGonagall calmly. "I believe you didn't do it, did you?"

"Well ... ummm ... I ... didn't know how." again the big puppy dog eyes.

"You don't know how one does homework?" asked McGonagall raising one eyebrow.

The whole class was once again laughing at Severus. Several lizards took the opportunity to slip away and run.

'Oh no! She's doing an impersonation of me.' realised Severus. "I don't remember the stuff you taught us back then and I didn't understand the book." very downcast look. 'That ought to get a little pity from her.'

"So why didn't you ask your friends to help you?"

'Because I don't have any!' Severus wanted to scream. 'Because nobody likes me. Because I'm all alone and I'm afraid of them.'

But he couldn't admit that in front of everybody.

"Because they all didn't want to help me." cute little pout. That would tell her he didn't have any friends to help him without letting his classmates know how lonely he felt.

"Then ask them again more nicely or ask a teacher, but I want that homework on my desk next lesson. Five points off Slytherin."

Again the class laughed, but this time not as loudly as before. This time Hermione wasn't laughing with the others and neither was Draco.

It wasn't because of the points. None of the Slytherins cared much about loosing points anymore. Somehow it was what Severus had said. ,They didn't want to help me.' and the way he had looked when he said it. For some unclear reason it made Draco feel guilty. It must have had something to do with being late for potions class and with drawing pictures and writing songs. And maybe it also had something to do with saying that hedgehogs were cuter than ashtrays. Draco couldn't really say what all of this had to do with Severus not having done his homework, but somehow it wasn't funny anymore. Somehow it felt like he was the one who had done something wrong.

Minerva retreated back to her desk. She shouldn't have started talking about his friends. That had always been Severus' weak spot and it seemed even worse now., but she hadn't considered it at that moment and now it was too late. She'd hurt him.

She hoped he would manage with the twig into a lizard spell before the end of the lesson. He was going in the right direction after all. She tried to remember if he'd been able to turn twigs into lizards back when she'd first taught him. She thought he had but wasn't sure. The only thing that she remembered for sure was that he'd never been able to transfigure a hedgehog. It seemed he had always had particularly bad problems with transfiguring animals. Not that he had ever been good at transfiguring anything, but he had never managed to transfigure an animal and he had always been lonely.

He still was. Even as an adult he sometimes got that lost and lonely look. Now might be his chance to change something if only he'd realise it. She ought to do something about it, but what? She'd have to talk with Dumbledore.

Severus still hadn't managed to transfigure his twig. He looked up to see that almost the whole class was gathered around his desk grinning.

Neville was proudly showing around his lizard among the other Gryffindors. He earned a lot of praise even though he freely admitted that he couldn't have done it without Hermione's help.

Should he ... could he ... ask Hermione for help? That know-it-all? A Gryffindor? He looked at his lizard shaped twig. He'd have to do it, no matter what the others might say.

He looked around for Hermione. There she was. Talking to Harry and Ron of course.

Hesitatingly he got up. Harry Potter would hear him pleading for help from Hermione, but it couldn't be helped.

At that moment Minerva McGonagall ended the lesson.

Too late. McGonagall would be furious.

But when Severus handed her his green lizard shaped twig she just took it and said: "Well, I would have expected more, but at least it is an improvement over the hedgehog. Keep practising."

Relieved Severus followed his classmates through the door. As soon as they were safely outside he asked Vincent: "Will you let me copy your homework now?"

"What?" shrieked Vincent. "No way!"

"How stupid do you think we are?" snapped Blaise. "Nobody's gonna help you. We kind of enjoy it when the teachers get angry with you."

"Yep," grinned Gregory. "It's funny."

"It already cost us five points." Severus reminded them calmly.

"So what?" asked Vincent "You've already lost us so many it really doesn't matter anymore. We're gonna be last no matter what we do."

"You'll regret this." Severus informed them coldly.

 

Minerva McGonagall found Albus Dumbledore in his office studying a thick book on potions.

"Albus, we have to talk."

He looked up.

"About what?"

How tired he looked! Maybe she shouldn't bother him with this. But then who should she turn to? There was nobody else. That was part of the problem.

"About Severus." she said. "I'm worried about him."

"We all are, Minerva, but we're working on it." said Dumbledore reassuringly. "Some of the best potion masters in the world are trying to solve our problem."

"That's the wrong problem, Albus." stated McGonagall.

"The wrong problem? What other problem is there? And don't tell me this is about Greenie." smiled Dumbledore. "The hedgehog is just fine. And I think it does him good. Gives him something to occupy his mind with, you know."

"No, it has nothing to do with that horrible hedgehog." McGonagall said sternly. Couldn't Dumbledore stay serious just once? "He is lonely, Albus. He needs friends."

"Lonely, Minerva? He has a whole dorm full of friends to keep him company. That's why we put him there in the first place, remember?"

"He doesn't get along with them, Albus. He's antagonising them. Always fighting and getting them in trouble and it's making him lonely and unhappy."

"If he does that then he most likely doesn't want to be friends with them." commented Dumbledore still not seeing any reason for concern.

"Albus, he's practically complained to me that nobody likes him. He wants to make friends, but I don't think he knows how. Remember when he was a boy? He was always sitting alone, never had a friend. And what about as an adult? Does he have any real friends now?"

"I'm his friend!" Dumbledore stated sharply.

Great now she had him on the defensive. She should have remembered not to say anything that might be interpreted as an accusation that he was neglecting his friend.

"Right, but you're easy to make friends with." she conceded. "Whose effort was it? Yours I bet."

"Well, yes it was, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Severus has a problem, Minerva."

"Does he have any friends besides you?" 'Come on, Albus! Quit denying it! You're not helping your friend that way.'

"Filch likes him." declared Dumbledore after a moment's thought.

"Likes him." repeated McGonagall. "But they're not really friends, are they?"

"No, but I still think you're overreacting." argued Dumbledore. "Of course it's difficult for a teacher to make friends with his pupils. It's only natural that they're hesitant to trust him. But if Severus really were that unhappy about it, he'd find a way to convince them."

"I just told you he doesn't know how." insisted McGonagall.

"If that were true, Minerva," said Dumbledore "then he'd tell me. I just met him an hour ago and his only problem was that you don't like his hedgehog. So if you want to do something for him I suggest you reconsider that."

"Forget the stupid hedgehog!" snapped McGonagall getting impatient. Why wouldn't Dumbledore understand? "Have you considered the possibility that he's not telling you, because you have too much on your hands already?"

"I?" said Dumbledore giving her a fake happy twinkle. "Too much on my hands? Whatever should have given him that idea?"

Minerva shook her head sadly.

"You don't fool me, Albus. I've known you too long and so has Severus. You're totally exhausted doing both his work and yours. Being head of Slytherin isn't as easy as he makes it look, is it?"

"It's not." Dumbledore admitted with a sigh. "These children are so cold. They seem to be constantly on their guard around everybody, even against their closest friends. It's impossible to tell what they think and they flat out refuse to come to me with their problems. They're all hiding behind their tough masks."

"Much like Severus, aren't they?" commented Minerva tentatively.

"Yes, I guess they are." he smiled a bit. "He's a Slytherin, too, after all. I guess he knows how to see through their masks. But I'm used to the openness of the Gryffindors. you know the backgrounds of some of these children as well as I do, Minerva. Most of them don't even know what a normal family life is supposed to be like, but still they won't talk about their problems."

"Maybe that's just why, Albus. They've never had anybody they could trust with their problems so they never learned how to talk about them. Again, much like Severus." McGonagall suggested gently.

"Severus can and does talk about his problems to me, Minerva. And he knows and handles his kids' problems. How does he do that? It seems impossible. The more I try the more hopeless it seems."

"How long did it take you to get there with Severus?" McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore didn't answer. He couldn't invest as much time and energy into making friends with every single Slytherin as he had into Severus. But neither could Severus. There had to be another way. Maybe it would be a start to make a common enemy. Like the Gryffindors.

Albus Dumbledore smiled sadly at Minerva as for the first time he began to understand the origins of the old feud between his two houses.

 

Draco had secretly been following Ginny for quite some time. Finally she went to the library alone. Draco followed again and sat watching her for a while.

When she went to get a book from a shelf hidden in the back of the room he approached her.

What to say?

"Uh ... Hi Ginny." he tried.

Ginny turned round and saw him.

"Don't you dare come any closer, Malfoy!" she warned him.

Draco decided to ignore that.

"Ehm ... Ginny, I wanted to ... um ..."

Ginny shrank back.

"I mean it, Malfoy! If you take just one more step I'll scream."

"Listen Ginny, I just want to ask you if you ..."

Ginny retreated another step frightened, getting ready to run.

Draco lifted one hand towards her to stop her.

That was too much for Ginny. She turned away and ran.

"Ginny, wait!" he shouted after her.

Ginny only ran faster. She dashed past Madam Pince and out the door.

Draco ran after her but wasn't so lucky. Madam Pince caught him by the shoulder and stopped him.

"Mr. Malfoy, this is a library. People come here to study. They need peace and quiet to concentrate. That means no running and definitely no shouting. If you do not intend to study quietly I must ask you to leave. Do you understand?"

"Um ... I'm sorry Madam Pince, but it was Ginny who ran away. I just followed her, because ... um ..." Oh how to explain. "because I really need to talk to her."

Right. That made sense. Or did it? Draco was feeling a little confused. Why was it so important that he talked to Ginny?

"That is no excuse, young man. Five points off Slytherin!" declared Madam Pince.

Draco sighed and trotted out of the library.

He spent some more time looking for Ginny, but she had disappeared. She'd probably run back to her common room where he couldn't follow. And he'd lost another five points.

Well, that didn't really matter. They'd lost so many already that most likely nobody would even notice.

But he had lost his chance to talk to Ginny. Why, oh why had she run away from him?

Very unhappy Draco trudged back to his common room to rejoin his classmates.

Vincent looked up as he entered.

"Draco! Where have you been?"

"Library." said Draco curtly.

"Why?" asked Gregory surprised. The library wasn't one of his favourite places and all of them usually avoided it. (No chances to start fights under the watchful eyes of Madam Pince.)

"Don't know." answered Draco.

"Huh?" asked Blaise. "You went to the library, stayed there for several hours and you don't know why?"

"Right." said Draco.

Vincent and Blaise exchanged a look.

"Could it be that Ginny happened to be there?" asked Severus grinning.

"Yes ... No! ... I mean maybe she was. I don't know." stuttered Draco.

"I'll take that for a yes." giggled Severus.

"What's it all got to do with Ginny?" asked Vincent. "Why are you always talking about Ginny when Draco ain't talking to us?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

The other three looked at Severus blankly.

"I guess not." Severus concluded and returned to doing Susan's homework.

Draco glanced at the parchment.

"Susan again?" he asked hoping to get everybody's minds off of Ginny. "What did that girl do for you this time?"

"Got me some mousetraps." answered Severus without looking up.

"Mousetraps?" asked Vincent. "Do we have mice?"

"No, that's why I couldn't get any myself."

"Well, if we don't have any mice, what are you gonna do with the mousetraps?" enquired Draco.

"You'll see." smiled Severus. "You'll see."

 

Blaise was the first to get into bed that evening.

SNAP!

"Ow!"

Draco who had just been about to slip into his own bed started at Blaise's scream and turned to him.

SNAP!

"Ahh!"

This time it was Vincent. He had just wanted to pull back the blanket from his bed. Now there was a mousetrap dangling from his fingers.

Draco stared at Vincent's hand for a second then glanced over at a grinning Severus snuggled up comfortably in his bed and then looked back to Blaise who was very carefully trying to peel another mousetrap off his foot without further injuring his toes. His teeth were firmly clenched and tears of pain were running down his cheeks.

At that moment Gregory entered.

"What's all the screaming about?" he asked as he let himself drop backwards onto his bed.

SNAP!

"Ow!"

Draco gulped.

The third mousetrap had snapped shut over Gregory's ear. Vincent and Blaise, who had only just managed to get their own mousetraps off went over to help him.

"I told you, you'd be sorry you didn't let me copy your homework!"

"Great, Severus." growled Blaise. "Just great. This must be the fourth or fifth time you've sent Gregory to the hospital wing and you haven't even been here for a full week."

"Yep!" Severus grinned proudly. "I sure am good. I just wish it was Neville instead of Gregory."

Gregory moaned and pressed Vincent's favourite handkerchief against his bleeding ear as the three boys once again limped out of the room headed for the hospital wing.

Draco hesitantly gripped his pillow by one corner and pulled it up. There was nothing under it.

He gripped the pillow tighter and shook it. Nothing.  
He looked back at Severus who was watching him intently a big grin on his face.

'Ok, let's try the blanket.' thought Draco.

"I had only three, Blondie."

Draco turned to look at Severus again.

"And I kind of do like you ... a little better than those other three idiots. So ..." Severus shrugged.

"Honest? No tricks?" Draco asked studying Severus' face intently.

"No tricks." promised Severus. "I'll get you next time."

Slowly Draco climbed into bed and indeed nothing happened.

Severus smiled and quietly slipped the box that contained his last mousetrap into the empty drawer Greenie hadn't wanted to sleep in. He'd find some other use for it.

Maybe Neville? Or Albus perhaps? Or should he risk playing a prank on McGonagall?

 

Thursday evening Albus Dumbledore called Severus Snape to his office.

Severus slipped in looking very nervous.

"Look Albus, I'm terribly sorry for breaking that window in the old tower."

"Oh, that was you?" twinkled Dumbledore.

"And I didn't mean to break that Hufflepuff sixth year's nose and I know the food-fight with the Ravenclaws got a little out of hand and I really shouldn't have thrown those firecrackers at the Gryffindors and I admit that I stole Professor Flitwick's keys and threw them into the wastepaper basket, but I really had no idea that that house-elf would trip over Greenie's cage and hurt himself, and that fight with Vincent and Blaise ..."

"Severus," interrupted Dumbledore. "before you incriminate yourself any further I just wanted to see you so I could tell you that they managed to reconstruct the recipe for Neville's youth potion at Beauxbattons."

Severus' face lit up.

He lifted Greenie's cage onto Dumbledore's desk and sat on an empty chair.

"Good! Can I see it?"

Dumbledore smiled and handed him a piece of parchment from his desk.

"I made a copy for you, but please don't start any experiments with it. Our colleges at Beauxbattons report that they already tried the potion on several rats and they all died."

Severus pouted.

"Can't I use Neville for it? Then it wouldn't be animal testing."

"Severus!"

"OK, OK. No testing on anybody. I promise."

"No testing, no anything!" ordered Dumbledore. "That copy is just for your information. To show you that we're making progress. I have already sent an owl with another copy to Durmstrang. I expect we will have an antidote within another week, two weeks at most."

"Do I have to do my transfiguration homework?" asked Severus pouting again.

"I'm afraid so." smiled Dumbledore. "Minerva insists that she wants you to learn something from the incident. How's your little green friend by the way?"

"I already did learn something from it. I learned to stay clear of anything Neville Longbottom brews. And Greenie, as you can see is just fine except that he's still green."

Greenie as if on clue crawled to Dumbledore's side of the cage and blinked through the bars. Dumbledore bent closer to look at him.

"Hello there, little hedgehog." he said.

Greenie sniffed his nose disdainfully and turned away.

"I don't think he thinks very much of you, Albus." observed Severus.

"Well, I guess I'm not spiky enough and a Slytherin green hedgehog might be expected to prefer Slytherins."

 

Still to come: More problems with homework, that last mousetrap, some adventures at night, Severus does some research, a talk with Dumbledore and Draco tries for Ginny once again


	6. More trouble for Dumbledore

Chapter 6: More trouble for Dumbledore

 

It had been a good idea of Dumbledore to give Severus that recipe. Severus spent most of Friday and the following weekend in the library occupying a whole table with the many potions books he was studying. His efforts were in vain though. There was nothing in those books that he didn't know already. He would have needed access to his own books or at least to the forbidden section, but both requests were denied him.

Still he continued searching through book after book and that kept him too busy to do much mischief. There were only a few fights with minor injuries during the weekend and a few firecrackers went off here and there. Dumbledore wasn't even sure the later had anything to do with Severus. It might just as well have been the Weasleys.

Yes everything would have been fine except for what happened during that last lesson of the week. Dumbledore was just trying to explain the recipe for a shrinking potion to a particularly slow first year Hufflepuff when suddenly the door opened and Professor Callisto Calligra burst into the class.

"Albus, I quit!" she announced by way of explanation.

Dumbledore stared at the ancient runes teacher in surprise. So did the first years. Some of them vaguely remembered seeing this woman at the teacher's table at mealtimes, but most had no idea who she was. Whatever might she be doing in their class?

"Quit, Callisto?" asked Dumbledore. "Quit what?"

"Quit this job!" shouted Professor Calligra. "I'm leaving Hogwarts tonight."

"Now, now, Callisto. Calm down!" soothed Dumbledore. "Whatever could be so bad that ..."

He didn't get time to finish his sentence.

"What could be so bad?!" screeched Professor Calligra. "How about that Malfoy kid! He keeps insulting me in front of the whole class! And then the Slytherins started throwing their books at the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs were sitting between them and got scared and I had to follow them outside and convince them it was save to return to class. And then Severus and the Granger girl got into an argument over how to interpret the text and next thing I knew they were teaching my class. That's it, Albus! I'm going to pack my stuff and catch the next train to London. Don't expect me to still be here for dinner!"

Before Albus could say anything she turned on her heel and dashed out of the room. Everybody stared after her. Albus blinked a few times. Minerva McGonagall's words echoed in his head. 'It will be like teaching in a madhouse.' And Neville and Harry didn't even take ancient runes.

He considered running after the enraged teacher, but he knew that he didn't stand a chance to change her mind. When Callisto Calligra had decided to do something she would go through with it no matter what happened. He would need a replacement. ... And he'd better check on her class.

Albus Dumbledore sent off the first years early, which prompted loud cheers, and then hurried off towards the runes classroom without even cleaning the additional blackboard he had brought in after the original had for some mysterious reason cased to show anything he wrote upon it.

For once he didn't find the fifth years fighting or shouting at each other. The door to the classroom was wide open and the first thing he saw when he stepped in unnoticed were the Ravenclaws, who were busily studying their textbooks. The Hufflepuffs were huddled up in the center of the room whispering amongst themselves. The Gryffindors were playing exploding snap in the back of the room, all except Hermione, who was standing by the teacher's desk together with Severus. Those two seemed to be still arguing over their translations.

When the headmaster walked up to the front of the room, Greenie who had been snuffling around on Professor Calligra's desk looked up at him and sniffed his nose in recognition. 'Ah, the funny guy again.'

Severus glanced up at the sound and saw Dumbledore.

"Hi, Albus!" he mumbled distractedly and returned to his text.

"Hm?" was the only reaction from Hermione. She was much too engaged in her work to be distracted by such trivialities as the arrival of the headmaster.

Albus slowly checked the class again. Where were the other Slytherins? He discovered Draco quietly sitting by the window scribbling away at a piece of parchment. Was Draco Malfoy actually working? And if so why was he using coloured pencils? Dumbledore didn't spend much time wondering about Draco, though. He kept looking for the other Slytherins, but didn't find them. He tried to remember which Slytherins were supposed to be here. Maybe Severus and Draco were the only ones? No, they were the only boys, but there ought to be two or three girls there as well.

"Where are the rest of the Slytherins!" he demanded sternly.

The class started and looked up at him in surprise. Where had the headmaster come from all of a sudden?

"They walked out." piped up Hanna Abbot of Hufflepuff after a moment.

"Yes, they said they had better things to do then wait for a hysteric teacher to calm down." explained a dark haired Ravenclaw, whose name, if Dumbledore remembered correctly was Boot, Terry or Tommy Boot, or something like that.

"Well, normally they shouldn't have, but this once I suggest that you all follow their example. Provessor Calligra has just announced that she is leaving Hogwarts. I promise to try to find a temporary replacement before Monday, but today's lesson will not continue."

For the second time that day he watched cheering pupils race out of a classroom. Now to call another emergency staff meeting in his office.

"Oh Albus!" came a voice from behind him. "Could you take a look at this text and explain to us ..."

"No Severus, I can't! I do not teach ancient runes. Please collect your books and hedgehog and leave so I can lock this room. You too, Miss Granger. Grab your stuff and go!"

Grumbling at his uncooperativeness the two of them left.

Albus walked to the door, then decided to cast another quick glance through the room before locking it. Maybe one of the Ravenclaws was still ...

"Mr. Malfoy!"

No reaction.

Albus walked back into the room and towards the boy.

"Mr. Malfoy!" he shouted. "Do you want to stay locked in this room over the weekend?"

"Huh?"

"What is so interesting that you don't want to leave this class, anyway?" asked Dumbledore reaching for the piece of parchment Draco had been scribbling on.

"N...n...nothing!" stuttered Draco blushing and quickly packed it away and raced out the door.

But Dumbledore had gotten a quick glance at the parchment anyway. A picture? Of Ginny Weasley?

 

The staff meeting wasn't too pleasant either. Almost every teacher had some complaint to make about Severus. Only Madam Hooch and Professor Trellawney were smiling contently leaning back in their chairs. Of course, Severus didn't take their subjects.

When Dumbledore told them about Professor Calligra they were shocked. For a moment nobody spoke and Dumbledore could see Hagrid lean over and whisper something into Madam Pomfrey's ear. Madam Pomfrey shook her head and whispered back. Then Hagrid whispered again. He seemed to be pleading.

Finally Madam Pince agreed to stand in for Professor Calligra until a replacement could be found under the one condition that somebody had to take her place in the library during the lessons as she did not want to close it entirely.

But who could take over there? All the teachers had to be in classes as well, Dumbledore was already teaching potions. Filch flat out refused claiming not to have the time. Madame Pomfrey couldn't leave the hospital wing for that long in case of an emergency.

In the end they reluctantly agreed to ask the house elves to help out and thus the very next day a very worried looking Madam Pince showed a very excited Dobby how to operate the library.

Only half an hour after the staff meeting Dumbledore received word from Madam Pomfrey that Hagrid had a bad cold and would not be able to teach for a week or two.

Strange. Hagrid had looked just fine during the meeting.

 

Since Draco hadn't gotten a chance to finish his picture of Ginny he decided to go look for the real thing instead. He knew what classroom she had to be in right now and he had more than enough time to get there and hide near the door.

He had to be careful not to be seen trailing Ginny. She had developed the habit to stick close to her friends whenever she knew he was around. That was why he hadn't been able to catch her alone again since that one attempt at conversation in the library.

But this time he was lucky. Nobody noticed him following Ginny around. Well, maybe it wasn't all due to luck. After all practice makes perfect and Draco had gotten a lot of practice by now.

It was nearly dinnertime when he saw Ginny enter the girl's bathroom on the third floor. Her friends walked on in the direction of the great hall. The corridor was deserted.

Yes, he had her! But he couldn't follow her to the bathroom. He had to wait outside and hope nobody would come by before she'd come out and he'd gotten his chance to talk to her.

Draco waited glancing up and down the corridor nervously. Nobody came. Most of them ought to be at dinner by now, anyway. This was a perfect opportunity.

Why did Ginny take so long? Probably brushing her hair to look nice for dinner. Maybe she'd wear it open again. That was how she looked the prettiest, Draco decided. She always looked pretty though.

Finally the door opened and Ginny stepped out.

"Hi, Ginny!"

Ginny started and backed away into a corner.

Yes! Draco followed her quickly. Now she had nowhere to run. This time she'd have to talk to him.

"Listen ... um .... Ginny..." great, he was stuttering again.

'Come on Draco! What do you want to say to her?'

".... um ... Ginny .... I .... um ... Ginny ..."

'Idiot, all you're saying is her name. Say something interesting so she can give an answer!'

"Ginny ... I ... wanted to ... um ..."

'Ask her something! She has to answer if you ask something.' That was it! He'd ask her to go to Hogsmede with him.

"Ginny I ... wanted to ask you ... um ... if you'd ..."

Ginny had withdrawn further and further into the corner. Now she was pressed tightly against the wall with nowhere to go. She had to get past Draco to get away. How could she make him leave?

"Leave me alone or I'll tell my brothers!" she threatened.

Draco stared at her for a moment.

"Your brothers? I don't care about your brothers." he said. "I LIKE you!"

SLAP!

Draco stepped back in surprise as her hand connected sharply with his cheek.

Ginny seized her chance, darted past him and ran for the great hall.

Draco watched her go fingering his stinging cheek. What had gone wrong? Why had she run away again? He'd actually managed to say something. Something nice at that! And she'd slapped him and run away?

He must have done something wrong. But what? How did one convince a girl that one wanted to go out with her? He needed to ask someone for advice. A friend who could help him out.

But who?

Usually he'd talk about complicated things to Zabini. He was the most intelligent of his friends. But Blaise was an absolute zero when it came to emotional problems and somehow Ginny slapping him seemed rather emotional.

Not Blaise then. That left only Crabby and Goyle. Gregory was so stupid that nobody in their right mind would ask him for advice about anything. He'd just stare blankly or suggest to beat Ginny up. That wasn't the kind of solution Draco was looking for.

Not Gregory. Vincent it was then. Vincent was more intelligent than Gragory and he had more of a hart than Blaise, not that either thing was saying much. Vincent was still nothing but a big stupid bully. And what did he know about girls? Nothing. When he heard that Draco liked a girl he'd tease him mercilessly. And then the whole school would notice.

No, he couldn't ask Vincent. But who else was there? Who did he know? 'The girls mustn't know! They'd be even worse than Vincent.' He definitely couldn't ask a teacher. Who else was there in this school? Severus' hedgehog? ... Severus! Severus had to know about girls. He had to have had lots of girlfriends at his age. He definitely had to know how to ask them out. Yes, he had to ask Severus.

Ask Severus! What was he thinking? Severus was out to get him. He had said so. 'I'll get you next time.' he'd said because he didn't have any mousetraps left. He couldn't possibly allow Severus to know about him and Ginny. He'd use it to embarrass him in front of the whole school. He'd be even worse than Vincent and the girls together.

And then Draco realised that Severus already knew. He'd known from that first moment when he'd been watching Ginny in the great hall. Oh no! What could he do? If only he had a real friend to talk to.

 

"Whoa, she looks angry." remarked Vincent when Ginny stormed into the great hall and past the Slytherin table.

"Hope she didn't kill him." said Severus pushing another tiny piece of steak in front of Greenie's nose. The hedgehog seemed to like steak. Which was lucky for both of them because Severus did not.

"Kill?" asked Gregory having heard one of his favourite words. "Kill who?"

"Draco. Who else would make her this angry?" responded Severus and resumed cutting his steak into hedgehog mouth sized bits.

"Don't you think a whole steak is a bit much for one hedgehog?" asked Vincent. "I'd eat the rest myself if I were you."

"I'll just give him as much as he wants now and put the rest in his cage for a midnight snack." explained Severus. "I'm definitely not gonna eat THAT."

"What's wrong with eating steak?" asked Gregory shoving half of his piece of meat into his mouth in one bite.

"Nothing." declared Vincent and followed his friends example.

Severus decided not to look at them again while they were eating. Well, at least Vincent didn't talk with his mouth full.

"Unlike you two fat morons I don't just eat every bit of trash I come across." he sneered.

"Steak ain't trash." declared Blaise.

"It tastes like trash."

"I ain't fat." complained Gregory with his mouth full.

The fourth year sitting beside him burst into laughter. Gregory grabbed her and another food fight might have erupted if they hadn't been distracted by Draco's entrance.

Draco was still holding his cheek when sat down at the table.

"Where have you been, all this time?" asked Gregory.

"Yeah, we haven't seen you since care for magical creatures." added Vincent.

"Don't know." murmured Draco distractedly.

"Are you gonna talk about Ginny again?" Gregory asked Severus.

Severus nodded and winked at him. Gregory grinned broadly. He had figured something out: When Draco gave odd answers Severus always started talking about Ginny. Wasn't that a discovery to be proud of?

"Have you got a toothache?" Blaise asked Draco.

"Mmm ... no."

"Then why are you holding your cheek?"

Draco quickly dropped his hand and began eating.

"Hm, that sure is a nice handprint you've got there." grinned Severus inspecting Draco's cheek.

Draco's hand shot back up.

"Little Ginny sure is a fiery girl." Severus continued unperturbed. "No wonder with all that red hair. I take it this means she's not gonna go out with you this week?"

Draco felt his face go red. He ducked over his plate hoping that Severus would shut up if he didn't react. Then he saw Vincent's big grin. 'Oh no! Here we go.'

"What do you know?" grinned Vincent. "Draco's in love with a Weasley."

"Congratulations, Vincent!" sneered Severus smirking like Draco usually did. "It only took you a week to find out. And it was so obvious, too."

Draco grabbed his glass of pumpkin juice and upended it over Severus' head. That was probably not the wisest thing to do, but he had felt like it. He wondered what was wrong with him. It wasn't like him to lose control like that or to stutter when talking to an ordinary girl. Well, Ginny wasn't ordinary.

Severus sat there balancing the upended glass on his head fighting down laughter. Poor Draco! But he looked so funny with his face all red.

Minerva McGonagall raced over to the Slytherin table to prevent another food fight. Luckily Severus hadn't retaliated yet, but she didn't expect that to last very long.

"What is going on here?" she demanded in her sternest voice.

"I've got a glass crown." responded Severus pretending to be serious.

Minerva took the glass off of his head and put it back on the table fighting down her own laughter.

"And why is that?" she asked having regained her composure.

"Draco's in love." giggled Vincent.

"Is he? Really?" Gregory asked McGonagall. She was a teacher. She had to know.

"Yes, he is." grinned Vincent.

Draco grabbed for another glass of pumpkin juice and would have 'crowned' Vincent, too, but Minerva grabbed him by the collar of his robe and pushed him back into his seat.

"Mr. Malfoy, that will be ten points off Slytherin for assaulting your classmates! Now eat, before I give you detention as well!" Professor McGonagall folded her arms over her chest and resolved to remain standing right behind Draco for the rest of the meal.

Draco glared up at her sulkily.

"I'm not hungry." he declared, got up and walked out of the great hall.

 

Saturday night when he was sure that all his dorm mates were asleep Severus quietly slipped out of bed and put on his cloak and socks. He decided against shoes however. He could sneak around more comfortably if he didn't wear loud shoes. He'd just have to be careful not to slip and bare with the cold for an hour or so.

He slipped into the bathroom and quickly fished Greenie out of his cage. The hedgehog a nocturnal animal after all seemed rather excited at the prospect of a nightly adventure and blinked at him happily.

Quietly he walked through the common room. It had been only ten minutes since Dumbledore had checked their dorm and if there had been anything unusual in one of the other dorms he might have been held up. The last person Severus wanted to be caught by sneaking out of bed was the headmaster.

Filch, he knew, wouldn't be too strict with him and McGonagall wasn't likely to come into the dungeons at all. She probably hadn't been here since her own last potions lesson, would most likely not even find the classroom anymore. No, Dumbledore was the most dangerous thing that could happen to him tonight.

Gently he pushed open the secret door. He knew exactly how far he could open it before it creaked. Smiling he closed it again behind him once again without the slightest sound. He wondered how many of the kids were able to accomplish that. Draco most likely was. But he doubted that his other three dorm mates could even open it without that telltale creak.

He hasted to the next corner of the corridor and cautiously peered around it before stepping out behind it.

Severus reached the potions classroom without incident a shadow in the dark and found the door unlocked. 'Trust Albus to forget to close off the class so every last fool can break in and steal my supplies. Let's just hope none of them know how to brew drugs.' Hermione probably did know, but she wasn't likely to do it. No Potter and company were more likely to end up with something explosive or to turn themselves permanently invisible. But what of some of his own Slytherin seventh years? Those were likely to experiment with drugs. Maybe not for their own consumption, but to sell to foolish younger students.

'I have to warn Albus about leaving this door open over night. It's just too dangerous.' But he couldn't admit that he'd been here. 'Well, maybe just a general remark about how dangerous some of my supplies can be and that they need to be kept under lock and key.'

He smiled when he entered the familiar classroom. This was home.

Severus walked over to the office door in complete darkness. He could easily find his way blind around most of the dungeons and this was his classroom after all. He walked as swiftly as if the room had been fully lit. But he would need light to choose the books he was going to take back to his dorm with him. 'I can't take too many or else Albus will miss them.' And he would certainly know where they had gone to.

"Lumos!" Severus whispered to his wand as he pushed open the door to his office.

Blinding candlelight flooded out of the room illuminating the small boy with his softly gleaming wand. Albus Dumbledore turned away from the shelf he had been arranging potion ingredients on.

Severus still blinking against the blinding light realised that his precious supplies had been taken out of their cupboards and off their shelves and were currently sitting in un-orderly heaps on the table and the floor.

Dust was whirling around the room and caused Greenie to sneeze and sniff at Dumbledore disdainfully from his safe place in Severus' arm.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Severus staring at the scene in horror.

"Alphabetisising the ..." began Dumbledore. Then it dawned on him. "What are you doing in here? You are supposed to be in bed!"

Ups. Caught.

"Sleepwalking?" cute puppy dog look. He knew that one wouldn't work, but it was still worth a try.

"Severus!"

"I couldn't sleep." smirk. He had gotten good at imitating Draco. Maybe that would make Albus laugh.

"Severus!"

"That's the truth!" pouted Severus. 'Come on, Albus!' If the pout wouldn't get him nothing would.

"Severus!"

"What are you doing to my office? I won't be able to find anything!" Sometimes attacking is the best way to defend yourself.

"Right now this is my office and I wasn't able to find anything and therefore I'm now systematically rearranging this mess you've made here!"

"You're the one who's made a mess! You can't sort those by their names! You have to keep them according to their use and requirements! Some of them have to be kept warm, some cold, some dry, some wet and some are dangerous and need to be locked away! You can't just drop them in heaps on the floor like ... like ... like ..."

"I can do whatever I like and it is none of your business!" shouted Dumbledore enraged.

He was over tired and had too much on his mind already and had only remembered that he hadn't cleaned up the potions classroom when he had come to check up on the Slytherins at night. He had hurried over intending to quickly clean the blackboard and put away the ingredients left on his desk, but once again he hadn't remembered what went where and in a fit of rage he had pulled everything out and set to rearranging it according to his own ideas, when all he really wanted to do was go to bed and sleep for at least a week. And then Severus had shown up clearly intending to do some experimenting of his own with that dangerous substance that had nearly killed him and started accusing HIM of creating chaos in his un-orderly office!

Albus grabbed Severus by the shoulder with one hand, took Greenie in the other and marched them back into the common room.

Greenie rolled into a ball immediately. The funny guy had him! And he wasn't handling him too gently. Greenie wanted to be back with the nice one. That funny guy was probably dangerous.

Getting his fingers stung by a frightened hedgehog ball didn't exactly improve Albus' mood.

When Severus tried to say something to defend himself and his hedgehog he just snapped "Shut up!" and Severus didn't dare to argue anymore. It seemed like he really had lost his only friend this time.

Albus dropped Greenie back into his cage (it was a while before the poor little fellow dared to poke out his nose again) and slammed shut the bathroom door with such force that the sound woke the entire house.

Four very confused and startled boys stared at them as Albus pushed Severus into the dorm.

"Now get into your bed and stay there!" Dumbledore shouted loud enough that every word could be understood next doors. "Fifty points off Slytherin and if I ever catch you in any teacher's office again it will be a hundred points and you'll spend the rest of your life in detention!"

"That's my office!" protested Severus fighting tears. "You can't just rearrange my office without even asking me first."

But Dumbledore had already walked out and closed the door.

"Albus!" Severus called after him suddenly gripped by an irrational fear that he might never see him again. "Albus?"

If Dumbledore had heard him he didn't react. There went his only friend, the only person he trusted, the only one he had counted on. Was it his fault? What had he done? Nothing Harry Potter and hundreds of other students hadn't done before. And Dumbledore had forgiven all of them, had never gotten this angry with any of them, still continued to favour Harry above all others.

"You'll pay for this, Albus!" he whispered into the darkness not caring that the others could hear him.

Draco lay awake for a long time after that listening to the soft suppressed sobs coming from Severus' bed. He had wanted to know how the other teachers reacted to Severus' unusual situation. Now he knew. Had Dumbledore really rearranged the potion master's office. How could he! He was only teaching for a few weeks. It was still Snape's office. And Dumbledore had obviously no idea how to teach potions. How could he do that to Severus? And Snape would never have dragged a pupil in like that, no matter what they had done. He wouldn't have woken the whole house just to embarrass them in front of their whole dorm. And hadn't Dumbledore noticed that they didn't like Severus? Couldn't he guess that the others would pick on him after that?

And hadn't it mostly been their fear of the other teachers that had kept them from harming Severus? But McGonagall had clearly demonstrated that she didn't like Severus. Or had she? Well, she wasn't defending him anyway. Lupin ignored him. And the other teachers didn't really matter. Only those two really scared the Slytherins. Those two and Dumbledore. It had been their fear of Dumbledore that had held them back. But now Dumbledore had pushed Severus away. Severus had lost his protector.

All that was left now was their fear of Severus himself. He was a good fighter and he could be very mean, but he was also very small and he was alone. Loners did not fare well in Slytherin. That was why Draco stuck close to those idiots Crabby and Goyle. He might be able to help Severus, to defend him, but if he did he would turn his own allies against him. The two of them would be facing the whole house. And if that happened could he rely on Severus to defend him? No, not likely. He'd end up wearing the next mousetrap.

 

Still to come: More problems with homework, that last mousetrap, some more adventures at night, a problem with sweets and money and Severus promises to make a friend


	7. A Busy Sunday

Chapter 7: A Busy Sunday

 

Sunday morning during breakfast Draco received his weekly care package with sweets from his mother. He smiled happily when his eagle owl swept in with the large parcel. His mother's gifts usually arrived on Saturday, but sometimes they were late. That was mostly because his father did not approve of his wife sending their son 'rewards he hasn't earned'. So they kept it a secret and Narcissa only sent the package off when Lucius wasn't home.

Draco quickly grabbed the parcel and ripped it open. He always feared that Gregory or Vincent might swallow the whole thing with one bite if he didn't give them their share quickly enough. They were already eying him hungrily.

He took out a chocolate frog for himself then offered the box first to Vincent, then Gregory and finally Blaise, who wasn't nearly as greedy as the other two.

"Ohh Draco, can I have a chocolate frog?" called Pansy Parkinson from where the fifth years girls were sitting in a tight cluster. They stayed away from the boys during mealtimes. Draco suspected that was so they could better gossip about them.

"Mhhm chocolate frogs!" sighed Millicent Bulstrode trying to make puppy dog eyes at Draco, but failing miserably.

Draco threw six chocolate frogs at the girls anyway.

"Here, one for each, cause you're my classmates." he explained.

"And what about me?" Severus' puppy dog look was way better than Millicent's. "I'm your classmate, too. Don't I get any?"

Draco hesitated. Should he? After what Severus had been through last night he could use a little cheer upper even though he seemed to have woken up as his usual sarcastic self in the morning and had already given Gregory a black eye for threatening his hedgehog.

"You? Classmate? You're nothing but a big error." announced Blaise and the other two nodded grinning nastily at Severus.

"I didn't ask you. I asked Draco." Severus said coldly staring at Blaise, who couldn't look him in the eyes and turned his attention back to his toast.

"Well, it doesn't make any difference." snapped Draco. "You're not getting anything!"

"Oh really?" asked Severus menacingly.

"Really!" confirmed Draco. It was too late to change his mind now. Even though one chocolate frog wouldn't have hurt anybody.

"We'll see." growled Severus, but then he turned back to his breakfast and trying to attract Greenie's interest to a bit of toast with marmalade as if nothing had happened.

Greenie did not seem to like either bread or marmalade. He sniffed angrily and turned his attention towards Draco's cornflakes. Not that he particularly cared for the cornflakes themselves, but the milk smelled delicious.

"Hey, stop that!" shouted Draco and pushed him away.

Greenie blinked up at him confusedly. He wanted some cornflakes.

Draco sighed and grabbed a small extra plate to serve the hedgehog breakfast. Greenie blinked up at him once more before he dug in. 'Thanks.'

Dumbledore watched Severus intently all through breakfast. The boy seemed to be just fine. He was quarrelling with his housemates same as he always did. Professor McGonagall was just in time to prevent him from throwing a bowl full of cornflakes at Vincent Crabbe. No food fight today.

Severus never once looked over at the teacher's table. The headmaster felt relief at that. He had been worried that he had gone to far that night, but obviously Severus had already forgotten all about the incident.

Dumbledore sighed. He had to remember always to lock the potions classroom, for Severus would be back. He couldn't allow him near those potion ingredients. It was dangerous enough when some of the other pupils experimented with those, but Severus knew to much about them. Who knew what he might come up with.

 

Severus once again went to the library straight from breakfast. It was nearly empty as always on Sunday mornings.

Hermione Granger was sitting in her usual chair. (Everybody in the school knew that that was where Hermione always sat and nobody else ever even considered taking her chair even when she wasn't around.)

A couple of Ravenclaws were sitting somewhere in the back of the room, working on some kind of group project. Severus took an unobtrusive little detour on his way to the potions section to listen in on their conversation.

"... due to the influence of Uranus." one girl was saying.

"No, can't be." argued one of her partners. "Don't you see that Venus negates Uranus?"

"But the influence of Saturn is much stronger and will block Venus." the girl insisted.

The third member of the group, who had been leaning back in his chair doing nothing at all so far, finally spoke.

"Let's just write that due to the constellations of Uranus, Venus and Saturn there will be a flood on Monday and we will all drown. Therefore we don't need to predict the rest of the week, since we won't be alive to see it." he suggested.

"But that's not what the stars show!" shouted the first girl sounding shocked.

"So what?" grinned the boy. "It's very depressing. I predict that Trelawney will love it."

Severus rolled his eyes and quietly thanked the gods (if they really did exist) that Dumbledore had accepted his strict refusal to go anywhere near the divination classroom as he walked on to the potions section. If there ever was an entirely useless subject it was divination. Especially the way Sybill Trelawney taught it.

He just couldn't see why Dumbledore hadn't fired Sybill a long time ago. She only served to disturb pupils with her constant visions of death. But he never had been able to convince Albus of that.

For a moment he smiled thinking back to their long discussions about the divination teacher, but then he remembered last night and frowned. Those days were over. Now he was all alone and he had to prepare his revenge on the headmaster. He knew what he was going to do. All he needed was a net and some of Filch's tools. He'd steal those in the evening. If he did it now Filch might miss them during the day and report their disappearance to the headmaster, who would then be warned.

Severus quickly scanned the shelves for some books that might be useful to him. 'Yeah, sure. As if I'd find anything in any of those.' Then he took out his wand and levitated them over to his favourite table.

The Ravenclaws looked up startled as several books whizzed over their heads. The girl, who was so fond of Uranus lifted her head so suddenly that it collided with the corner of one of the books.

"Ahh!" she shrieked obviously more frightened then hurt.

The book started spinning out of control, did a few somersaults and finally hurtled off in the direction of the charms section where it crashed into an overloaded shelf knocking it over. Books went flying all over the charms section crashing into other shelves bringing even more books down with them.

Severus grinned at the chaos, summoned the lost book with a quick "Accio." and took of towards his table. He didn't get there however. Dobby suddenly materialised in front of him looking up at him with wide astonished eyes.

"Dobby can't allow Sir to float books through the library, Sir." the house elf said in what Severus supposed was intended to be a stern tone. "Dobby is responsible for order in the library."

Severus looked the elf up and down and decided to ignore him. He walked past Dobby and sat down in front of his books, but Dobby followed him and hopped onto the table.

Greenie who had been crawling around between the books sniffed the elf curiously. What was that? He'd never seen anything like it before. It looked and smelled a little like a human, but it was definitely too small to be one. Maybe it was edible? Too bad it didn't hold still long enough to try. Greenie gave one last disappointed sniff and turned away to gnaw at an old leather-bound tome titled 'Basic Potions'.

"Dobby is responsible." the house elf insisted.

Madam Pince, who had been watching the scene decided to get involved. She was trying to stay out of the library's affairs as much as possible today to give her new apprentice a chance to practice before she had to leave him alone when she would start teaching the very next day. But right now Dobby was heading for trouble. Who knew what Severus might do to him if the house elf started to annoy him.

She strode over to Severus' desk as quickly as she could without appearing to be hurrying.

"Severus, I have to ask you not to levitate my books around! Somebody might get hurt and the books might be damaged. If I catch you doing this again you will have to leave the library." she declared sternly.

Severus looked up at her making his best puppy dog face.

"I'm not levitating anything now. I'm just reading. Is that a problem?"

Madam Pince sighed and sent Dobby over to the charms section to pick up the scattered books and re-sort them into their proper shelves.

"What's the elf doing in here anyway?" Severus asked casually.

"I've been asked to stand in until we find a new ancient runes teacher. Dobby will stand in for me during lessons." Madame Pince explained curtly. "Now either study, or leave my library!"

Severus turned back to his book and pretended to read. So Dobby would be in charge of the library while Madam Pince would be teaching? Then all he needed to do was find out when she would be teaching. Madam Pince might not let him into the forbidden section without a proper pass from Dumbledore, but Dobby ought to be easy to get around.

Severus grinned and returned to his book. Not that he was paying much attention to it. He would soon have the books that could really help him, but he had to pretend to still be interested in what he was currently reading or else Madam Pince might get suspicious.

An hour or so later Draco trudged into the library looking around as if searching for something.

"Looking for Ginny?" Severus asked grinning as he walked past his desk.

Draco blushed, stopped and glared at him angrily.

"No! ... Is she here?"

Severus giggled hearing the hopeful tone in Draco's voice.

"No."

"Have ... um ... Have you seen her?" Draco tried to sound casual.

"No, but considering that today is Sunday and that it's a very beautiful day I'd look for her outside." Severus suggested treating Draco to one of his own trademark smirks.

"Outside?"

"Yes outside. You know, where there's the big blue sky overhead? That's outside. She's probably enjoying a snowball fight or building a snowman with her friends."

Draco scowled realising that he wouldn't get a chance to talk to her alone if she was out playing with the other Gryffindors.

"Well, I wasn't looking for her anyway." he claimed. "Maybe I'll just go fly around a bit."

He turned to leave, but then thought that that would be a little to obvious and scanned Severus' books instead.

"Potions?" he asked. "I thought you'd finally do your transfigurations homework."

That wiped the grin off Severus' face. He'd have to hand in his transfiguration homework tomorrow and he still hadn't found anybody willing to let him copy theirs. There was only one solution left and he had been planning to do some snooping anyway.

As soon as Draco had left Severus pulled out his wand and levitated his books back onto their shelves.

In an instant both Dobby and Madam Pince were by his side. The first staring at him wide eyed, the second glowering angrily.

"I'm leaving anyway." he explained smiling angelically at the librarian. "So I thought I might as well levitate them."

"Ten points off Slytherin!" Madame Pince hissed. "And get out of here now!"

Severus kept smiling and strolled out of the library.

 

Half an hour after their meeting in the library Draco came into the common room to find Severus sitting in his favourite chair drawing.

"Are you still not doing your transfigurations homework?"

"I'm working on it." answered Severus calmly.

"Really?" asked Draco peering over his shoulder. "Looks more like a unicorn to me. You'll lose us even more points if you don't have your homework tomorrow."

"Speaking of points. I just lost another ten for levitating books in the library." Severus said matter-of-factly.

"What!" shrieked Draco. "Another ten! Why?"

"I felt like it."

"Is loosing points some kind of hobby of yours?" sneered Draco. "You're real good at it."

"Well, I guess you could interpret it that way." grinned Severus.

"Oh you're hopeless!" sighed Draco and raced up the stairs towards their dorm.

A little while later he came back down followed by Vincent, Gregory and Blaise. All four were carrying their brooms and grinning happily.

"Where are you going?" Severus asked casually.

"To play Quiddich." said Draco. "Wanna come?"

"What?" hissed Vincent. "Why would we want him along?"

"Did you have to ask him that?" growled Blaise at the same time.

"We'll need some more players for a real game." Draco explained.

"No, thanks. I don't even have a broom." answered Severus ignoring the enraged boys.

"You could borrow one of the school brooms." suggested Draco who was secretly hoping that Severus and the others might make peace if he got them to play together.

"I already told you guys: I'm afraid of heights." said Severus calmly though he knew what was coming next.

"You're afraid of riding a broom?" asked Draco not believing his ears.

"Yes."

"How did you ever become a teacher if you can't even ride a broom?" laughed Blaise.

"I can ride a broom." Severus answered coldly staring at Blaise. "I just don't like it."

Blaise shut up pretty quickly. Severus had realised very early on that Blaise was easily intimidated and very susceptible to his cold stare. Gregory was afraid of him anyway due to the many injuries he had already suffered and would not challenge him unless Draco went for him first.

But Draco seemed unusually mellow. 'Maybe because his thoughts are on Ginny all the time.' thought Severus.

Vincent was therefore at the moment the most dangerous, but he wasn't the leading type either and Severus knew that he could handle him in a fight.

In fact as long as Draco didn't join in Severus knew that he could handle anything the others might come up with. As long as Draco didn't attack him the others would each fight alone. Only Draco could join them into that mob that had beaten him up last week.

Several other kids volunteered easily to join the game and soon the common room was nearly deserted. With a satisfied smile Severus packed away his parchment and pencils, picked up his hedgehog and climbed up the stairs into his dorm. Everything was going perfectly according to plan.

 

When Draco and the others returned from their game they found Severus sitting in the very same chair as when they had left several hours ago copying something from a parchment. He didn't seem to have left the common room all the time they had been gone.

"Are you finally doing your homework?" asked Draco expecting a clear 'no'.

"Yep, nearly done." grinned Severus.

"You are?" said Draco surprised as he sat down beside him.

"Yes, I'd be long finished if Greenie didn't keep getting in the way."

"Greenie?" asked Draco looking doubtfully at the hedgehog.

"Yes, he keeps walking over my parchments." complained Severus.

"Maybe he wants more attention?" suggested Draco.

Greenie looked up at him blinked happily and walked on sniffing the table curiously.

"Well, if you think so, go ahead and cuddle him a bit." responded Severus with a malicious grin.

Draco took a closer look at the spiky little fellow and decided better not to take Severus' advise.

Should he ask Severus about Ginny? This might be a good time. Severus seemed rather civil and he was preoccupied with homework. He might be nice and actually help. Everybody did know that he was in love with her anyway and he hadn't suffered as much teasing as he had expected.

But Severus couldn't be trusted. He'd probably give him the wrong instructions and make Ginny angry.

"There!" sighed Severus. "I'm done!"

He packed away his parchment, then took the one he had been copying and threw it into the fire.

Draco stared as the flames consumed the parchment.

"Was that yours?" he asked slowly after a moment.

"No." grinned Severus as he pulled out the parchment with the unicorn picture again and returned to drawing.

Draco sat there watching him draw. For a while he still considered to ask Severus for advice, but his thoughts were more and more drawn to imagined dragons accompanying certain drawn unicorns.

He considered just grabbing one of Severus' pencils and helping him with his picture, but several of their housemates were watching. They were probably already wondering what he was doing sitting there with Severus watching him draw.

So he just continued to sit there and imagine what could have been if it weren't for their housemates.

 

When Draco came up into the dorm that evening he found to his surprise that Gregory, Vincent and Blaise were waiting for him and they weren't looking very happy.

"What's wrong?" he asked alarmed. "Has something happened?"

"That's what we want to know." said Blaise.

"We want to know what you were doing down there." clarified Vincent.

"What do you mean? What I was doing?" asked Draco though he suspected that he knew what this was about.

"You were sitting with Severus!" Gregory accused him.

"And you asked him to play Quiddich with us!" added Blaise.

"We needed more players and he just happened to be around." Draco defended himself. He had chosen to answer Blaise first because he needed time to think up an explanation for his sitting with Severus.

'I really need to be more careful with that. They're suspicious. If I'm nice to Severus ever again they're gonna turn on me.' he thought.

"That still doesn't explain why you were sitting with him all evening." Vincent pointed out.

Well, at least that meant that the Quiddich incident had been sufficiently explained.

"I ... I wanted to ask him something." Draco said truthfully.

"So why didn't you come back to us after you did?" demanded Blaise.

"I was going to, but I didn't ... I didn't get around to asking him."

"You didn't get around to asking him? Don't you think you sat there long enough?" hissed Blaise.

"What were you going to ask him anyway?" shot Vincent.

"I ... I ... I'd rather not say." stuttered Draco.

Now even Gregory got angry.

"You've got secrets from us Draco?" he asked.

"Secrets you'd tell the little rat, but not us?" growled Vincent.

"I thought we are your friends." snarled Blaise.

Draco watched them close in. 'Oh no, it's already happening!'

"Look, I didn't want to tell him either!" he shouted retreating. "That's why it took so long. I didn't want to tell him, but I thought I should, but in the end I didn't because I don't want to tell anybody."

"But if you would have told somebody it would have been Severus and not us?" asked Vincent.

"No, no, I'd have told you, too!"

"Then why didn't you ask him in front of all of us?" Blaise again. He seemed the most aggressive.

"Because ... because ..." Whatever could he say?

At that moment Severus entered hedgehog in his arm grinning widely.

"Do any of you intend to sneak out tonight?" he inquired ignoring their angry looks.

"What do you care?" sneered Draco. "It's none of your business."

He could see by the way the others turned towards Severus that they approved of his actions. Saved just in time.

"I'm just saying that the first person through the common room door might be in for a big surprise." grinned Severus. "And you don't want to be the ones. It's not intended for you after all."

 

That night they were once again woken by a loud clattering sound. Draco immediately sat up straight in bed staring over towards Severus' bed.

"Ah, success!" announced Severus and jumped out of bed.

The sounds were coming from downstairs. Draco suddenly remembered Severus' warning about the common room entrance. That was definitely where the sounds were coming from.

Draco slipped out of bed and followed Severus the other three trailing behind him.

They stopped dead in their tracks halfway down the stairs. In front of the entrance was what looked like a huge moving pile of ropes with a bucket on top. Several chairs were lying half on the pile and it seemed to be tied to one of the tables.

A second look revealed that the pile was very wet and that there was somebody under it. That had to be why it was moving! Through all the ropes a bit of a blue robe was visible and some white hair blinked into view with every movement.

"Hi, Albus!" Severus greeted the pile with a triumphant smile on his face. "I thought you might need another cold shower, after what you did to my supplies."

The bucket emitted some horrible loud but not understandable sound.

Severus slowly walked over and pulled the bucket off of Dumbledore's head. The headmaster was once again thoroughly soaked.

Dumbledore blinked water dripping off of his lashes and tried to sit up, but he was too tangled in the ropes to accomplish that and he had no way of reaching his wand. He had to lie back against the wall. Slowly he let his eyes wander through the room.

The entire Slytherin house was by now assembled on the stairs laughing and pointing.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to Severus.

"Okay," he said smiling. "You guys got your laugh. Now let me out."

"No." said Severus. "Not until you beg me."

"Alright, please Severus, let me go."

"Not good enough." decided Severus.

The Slytherins on the stairs laughed louder and louder.

"Severus, let me out now or I will take another 100 points off Slytherin."

No reaction.

"I don't want to do that, Severus. You are my house. But I have to insist that you let me go."

Several Slytherins began to look worried, but the vast majority didn't care about points anymore anyway and continued cheering Severus on.

"No." repeated Severus. "Maybe I'll just leave you here until the other teachers come looking for you in the morning."

"Look, I know I overreacted a little yesterday night and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. I was going to tell you that. I'm still your friend, Severus."

"No you're not!" shouted Severus angrily. "Sweet dreams, Albus."

He turned away and walked back towards the stairs.

"Severus, you can't do that! I'm gonna catch another cold."

"See if I care!" shouted Severus as he walked up the stairs.

The audience had fallen silent. This was more than another one of Severus' pranks.

"If somebody doesn't let me out of here right now I'll deduct five hundred points from you and give the whole house detention!" threatened Dumbledore.

The pupils looked at each other uncertainly. Then hesitatingly slowly Susan came down the stairs and cast an untangling spell that freed Dumbledore. That accomplished she turned on her heel and fled back into her dorm.

Before Dumbledore had shaken off the net that was now lying loosely over him and brushed off the remaining ropes the whole common room was empty once again and all pupils were in bed pretending to sleep.

 

Still to come: Where did Severus get his homework from?, that last mousetrap, some more adventures at night, a problem with sweets and money, Severus promises to make a friend and will Dumbledore really catch another cold?


	8. Searching Trunks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OK, I changed this to the Austrian grading system as I've given up ever learning the English one. There are five grades: 1 ('very good'), 2 ('good'), 3 ('satisfactory'), 4 ('sufficient') and 5 ('not sufficient' = failing).

Chapter 8: Searching Trunks

 

Draco returned to his dorm after breakfast on Monday morning to find Vincent and Gregory kneeling on the floor hastily flinging stuff out of Vincent's trunk. Clothes, books and all sorts of other things were already strewn all over the room.

Severus quickly ducked to avoid being hit by a single sock that Gregory had just thrown over his shoulder and walked out grinning happily.

Draco stopped for a moment to look after him That was that very same grin he usually wore after successfully setting up one of his pranks. What was going on? Was another firecracker about to go off? Or was he about to walk into another mousetrap? If so why had Severus left the room? He usually stayed around to watch the results of his little traps.

Draco decided that the dorm was most likely safe and returned his attention to Vincent and Gregory who were still flinging various items of clothing around.

"What are you looking for?" he asked as he slipped past them to his bed, where he had left his book bag.

"My transfiguration essay." sighed Vincent. "McGonagall had me rewrite most of it and now I can't find it. I'm sure I put it right on top in my trunk and now it's gone."

Draco cast a look over the chaos in the room.

"Are you sure you didn't throw it out with all the rest of the stuff?" he asked doubtfully.

"Well ... maybe." admitted Vincent sheepishly after following Draco's look.

Draco lifted Vincent's dress robe and another single sock (Or did it belong with the first one?) off of his bag and threw them back into the trunk where they landed on Gregory's head.

Bump!

"Ow!"

Gregory must have hit his head on the wall of the trunk. He pulled his robe covered head out of the trunk and felt around with his hands like a blind man.

'Wonder what he's searching for.' thought Draco.

"I suggest that you put all your stuff back in more slowly and if you still don't find it start looking under the beds." he advised Vincent.

Vincent pulled his dress robe off of Gregory and started folding it up.

"Thanks!" muttered Gregory as the light returned to him as quickly as it had vanished. He gingerly felt the lump developing on his head where it had met with Vincent's trunk.

Draco felt slightly guilty for a moment, but then decided that there wasn't much damage that could be done to Gregory's head.

'Nothing in there anyway.' he thought.

"You might want to continue your search after history of magic, Vince." he smirked already at the door. "Or else you'll be late."

Both Draco and Severus spent history of magic drawing, of course. By now Draco knew better than to continue drawing during charms.

Severus however didn't seem to have learned anything from the last week's disaster and Professor Flitwick ended up confiscating his portrait of Greenie sitting on his charms book and taking another ten points off Slytherin.

Draco didn't think about the morning's incident again until their transfigurations lesson when Vincent had to explain why he had no homework to Professor McGonagall. McGonagall took five points off Slytherin and threatened Vincent with detention if he didn't turn it in by Wednesday.

At that moment Severus walked in and calmly handed her a piece of parchment.

Suddenly Draco remembered Severus throwing another piece of parchment into the fire and saying that it wasn't his. And Vincent couldn't find his homework? But it had been in his trunk. Another memory flashed up: Severus handing Susan a firecracker and saying that he stole it from Blaise's trunk. 'What, you went through our trunks!' shrieked Crabbe outraged. 'No, only Blaise's! Didn't have enough time to search the rest of you ... yet!' And Severus saying that he was 'working on it' when they left to play quiddich and when they returned he had been nearly done with his homework ...

"Well, I see you finally decided to do your homework." McGonagall told Severus sarcastically. "But next time could you probably try to arrive on time?"

"I had to take Greenie away." protested Severus. "Let me bring Greenie to class and I'll have no problem being here on time."

McGonagall expected him to pout and steeled herself to resist him, but he did not.

"Turn it into an ashtray and it is very welcome in my class." she said firmly. "Otherwise it has no busyness being here. Ten points off Slytherin for being late!"

Then she handed each of her pupils two stones and told them to turn them into a pair of slippers.

Draco didn't do too well that lesson. He couldn't concentrate on his stones. His mind kept wandering to Severus, homework, trunks and firecrackers. In the end his slippers were still gray and rather hard and uncomfortable.

Severus meanwhile had an unusually successful transfiguration lesson.

With an apologetic grin he handed his products in to McGonagall at the end of the lesson.

"Green boots, Severus?" Minerva asked incredulously. "One very large and one small? And they aren't a pair either. They're both left ones."

"But they are footwear and I did change the material." argued Severus. "You have to admit that I'm improving."

"Normally I'd still give you an F, but since I know that you tried and you did do your homework ..." she wrote a big 4 into her notebook.

Severus grinned proudly and walked down to the great hall feeling almost perfectly happy. His triumph didn't last long however.

His classmates glared at him angrily as he sat down for lunch.

"What's wrong?" he asked playing innocent.

"Did you really burn my homework?" asked Vincent barely able to contain his anger.

"Yes." stated Severus matter-of-factly.

"You broke into my trunk and stole my homework! And then you just threw it into the fire." shrieked Vincent.

"No, I copied it first." stated Severus. Then he suddenly switched to his cold persona. "Wanna make something off it?"

Vincent threw his glass of pumpkin juice into his face. Severus retaliated with a bowl of still very hot soup. Vincent screamed and Gregory reached for his plate ... and another food fight was raging at the Slytherin table.

Professor McGonagall hadn't yet arrived in the great hall. So the task of breaking up the fight fell to Dumbledore.

The headmaster was in a very bad mood. He had woken up with an even worse cold than last time and Madam Pomfrey hadn't been able to cure it completely. His nose was no longer running after the treatment, but he was still coughing and had a splitting headache and of course his ears were smoking from the potion. ... And he still didn't know how to handle the Slytherins.

He tried shouting at them, but it didn't do his sore throat any good and he soon was coughing more than screaming and the noise of the fighting Slytherins drowned his shouting almost completely.

The pupils from the other houses started sniggering or even laughing right out at the sight of their headmaster red faced with anger, shouting at the top of his lungs (when he wasn't coughing) with smoke rising from his ears.

The other teachers had to step in to help him and when McGonagall finally arrived, she and Hagrid managed to drag the Slytherins apart.

"What ... cough, cough ... is going on here?" croaked Dumbledore when Hagrid had finally managed to get an arm around both Gregory and Vincent and McGonagall had gotten a hold of Severus.

"That little thief broke into my trunk!" screeched Vincent still beside himself with rage.

Dumbledore didn't need to ask who the 'little thief' was. He sighed deeply. 'Not again!'

"Fifty ... cough ... points off Slytherin for ... cough ... fighting and wasting ... cough, cough ... food!" he announced. "Severus, ... cough ... please accompany ... cough, cough ... me to my ... cough ... office."

Severus followed him without protest. He knew Dumbledore was really angry this time. He had every right to be too.

Albus gestured for Severus to sit down in front of his desk and went to sit behind it. He conjured a cup of hot herbal tea to calm down his cough and they sat in silence until he had drunk it. Severus was staring down at his hands repeatedly clenching and unclenching them in his lap, refusing to look at the headmaster.

"So you broke into Mr. Crabbe's trunk." stated Dumbledore as soon as he trusted himself to speak again.

"Draco's too." admitted Severus so softly that Albus could barely hear him.

"Didn't you promise me not to steal anymore?"

"Only if you let me go to Hogsmede and it wasn't really stealing. It was just a prank." Severus was still talking to his hands.

"Stealing is not a prank, Severus." said Dumbledore as gently as he could manage with his sore throat. "And you really shouldn't pull such bad pranks on your friends."

"I have no friends!" hissed Severus.

That hurt. Searching for a way to get Severus to relax and to get more control over his voice the headmaster conjured two more cups of tea, but Severus ignored his and continued staring at his hands.

"Severus, you're going too far with your pranks. I can accept and have even come to expect the occasional firecracker or biting teacup, but you can't just leave people tied up over night and you can't disturb people's private property."

"They did let you go, didn't they?" asked Severus. "I mean I expected them to. I wouldn't have left you all alone, you know, but they were all there. They wouldn't leave you."

"And what about stealing? I told you to come to me, if you needed anything."

"It was a prank." Severus repeated. "I didn't need anything."

Dumbledore sighed. He continued to try and talk some sense into Severus all through lunch break, but Severus just kept staring down and hardly said anything. Albus just couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Finally he let him go, because the next lessons were about to start. Severus didn't remind him that his next class would have been flying, which he didn't have to take.

"I didn't get any lunch." he mumbled instead.

"Well, you shouldn't have thrown it at your friends." stated Dumbledore. "Consider it your punishment."

"They're not my friends!" protested Severus.

 

Severus wanted to run back to his common room and cry on his bed, but he found Draco there and he definitely would not cry in front of him. So he just grabbed his bag and decided to go through with his original plan for the afternoon.

He walked into the library and straight towards the librarians desk. As he had hoped Dobby was alone.

"Dobby I need some books from the forbidden section." he announced as if he had every right to get them.

The house elf looked up from the sock he was knitting.

"Dobby can not give Sir books from the forbidden section, Sir." he said shaking his head sadly.

"Oh come on Dobby, I am a teacher. I don't need a pass. I could write one myself."

"Dobby can not give Sir books from the forbidden section, Sir." the house elf repeated. "Dobby can not give anyone books from the forbidden section. Not with pass. Not even teacher. Dobby is not allowed. If Sir needs books from the forbidden section, Sir has to come back later and ask Madam Pince. Dobby is not allowed, Sir. Dobby really wants to, but can't do it. No."

Severus left the library grumbling and returned to the common room where he found Draco sitting by the fire writing. (He was actually writing another song for his dragon bard, but Severus couldn't know that. Draco would never have let him see it.)

Severus sat down at the opposite end of the room and took out his pencils and parchment to draw. He spent most of the time left before DADA staring angrily at nothing however.

Draco looked up surprised. What was wrong with Severus? He had never looked this unapproachable when they were alone together before.

 

Defence against the dark arts was the same as it had been last week. Remus Lupin ignored both Severus and the Hufflepuffs while he was explaining the differences between werewolves and the catar who were often mistakenly called 'werecats'.

Severus got angrier and angrier. Professor Lupin might be the undoubted expert on werewolves, but Severus could have added lots to what he said about catar. They were one of his favourite topics.

He waved his hand in the air almost constantly, but Remus pretended not to see him.

Even Greenie the hedgehog looked a little sulky when the Slytherins walked out after the lesson.

Severus decided to teach Lupin a lesson. Let Dumbledore say whatever he liked. The werewolf deserved to be reminded of Severus' existence by extreme measures.

 

Draco decided to eat some of his every flavour beans before going to bed. He opened his trunk and ... Where were his sweets?

Draco was used to finding his sweets box empty. Gregory and Vincent often couldn't resist temptation and stole some of the sweets, but he couldn't remember them ever taking so many at once or taking the box itself as well. And they had never touched his pocket money before.

"Alright! Vincent! Gregory! Which one of you went over my trunk?" he demanded. They could have the sweets, but they had to give back his money.

"What? Your trunk?" asked Vincent confused. "Why would I?"

"To sneak out some of my sweets like you always do?" asked Draco back sarcastically. "Well, did you?"

"Oh yes, sometimes I do." Vincent admitted. "But not this time, honest."

Draco turned towards Gregory.

"So it was you."

"I only took two chocolate frogs." said Gregory. "I'm really sorry. I didn't think you'd miss them."

"You only took two chocolate frogs? And Vincent, you didn't take anything at all?" asked Draco confused.

They both nodded agreement.

"Then why is the whole box gone and where is my pocket money?"

Gregory and Vincent exchanged a look.

"We didn't take it." Vincent answered for them both.

"But if you didn't then who?"

They both shrugged.

"Well," said Blaise grinning maliciously. "Let's be logical about it. Who in this dorm is a known thief?"

Four pairs of eyes turned accusing stares to where Severus was curled up on his bed reading. Severus sat up.

"What?" he demanded.

"Did you search my trunk, you little rat?" screamed Draco.

"Of course I did. Didn't you expect me to?" Severus said calmly. "I believe I even told you I'd do it sometime."

"Alright, where are my sweets?" Draco asked through clenched teeth.

Severus licked his lips demonstratively.

"Eaten."

"I want them back!" shouted Draco.

Severus threw him an empty chocolate frog wrapper.

"Oh come on, you'll get another boxful next weekend. What's the big deal? You wouldn't share with me so I took them all. Now we're even."

"And what about my money? There were fifty galleons in my trunk."

"Too late, I already spent it."

"Spent it? On what? Mousetraps?"

"Maybe." grinned Severus.

"You spent fifty galleons on mousetraps?" Draco sneered. "I don't believe you. You've still got that money and I want it back!"

"You can't have it." announced Severus coldly.

Five minutes later Vincent, Gregory and Blaise were once again on their way to the hospital wing. Draco had retreated into the bathroom hoping that cold water would be enough to stop his nose bleeding.

Serverus limped in after a while and went to the back of the room where he'd put Greenie's cage. Draco watched as he opened the cage, took out the hedgehog and left without a word.

Once his nose finally stopped bleeding Draco returned to the dorm. Severus was in bed cuddling Greenie as best he could without hurting himself.

Draco climbed into bed and lay there for a while waiting. Nothing happened. The silence in the room seemed oppressing.

"Where are the others?" he finally asked into the room. He was definitely not going to look at Severus.

"Staying in the hospital wing overnight, I bet. The way they limped out Poppy won't let them come back until tomorrow morning." stated Severus matter-of-factly.

"You were limping too." mumbled Draco.

"But I didn't go and show the nurse."

Draco wondered if Severus was grinning. He wasn't going to look though.

Slowly careful not to hurt any of the many sore spots on his body he got up and opened his trunk. He dug down to it's very bottom. Severus had most likely seen everything that was in there anyway. Draco pulled out his old teddy and returned to bed snuggling the little bear close to his body. That felt better.

"Oh Greenie, if only you were a little less spiky." he heard Severus mumble just before he fell asleep.

 

Still to come: The last mousetrap (in chapter 9, I promise), some more adventures at night, Severus promises to make a friend, but ends up fighting again, Neville makes another mistake in potions class and Blaise and Vincent try to get revenge on Severus


	9. Severus Makes a Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The mousetrap idea came from crystal drake. Thank you again. As you can see it fit in perfectly. I loved all the other ideas you guys sent me as well, but sadly I could use only one.

Chapter 9: Severus Makes a Promise

 

Albus Dumbledore had decided not to risk the kind of chaos he had experienced the last week again. He had prepared everything he might need during double potions with the fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindors on Monday evening and he had also planned how to pair the pupils this time.

He went down into the dungeons right after breakfast and left the classroom door wide open so that he could hear if any trouble were brewing outside.

When pupils arrived he assigned them to their desks immediately and told them to read up on the healing potion once again.

They had not managed to finish that potion last week due to the many disturbances on Tuesday and Dumbledore had thought only the theory during the rest of the week. The class was now two weeks behind the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and Albus had set his mind on closing the gap.

He still wasn't sure which Slytherins got along with each other and which didn't, but he had decided to take Minerva's warning that Severus didn't get along with any of them and assigned him to work with Hermione Granger. Those two had seemed to get along just fine during ancient runes last week.

Harry Potter was to work with his best friend Ron Weasley and he had placed Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas between the two pairs. That ought to keep Hany and Severus from fighting again.

Neither Dean nor any of the Slytherins seemed happy about their pairings however. Draco who had been assigned to work with Gregory Goyle even complained loudly that he wanted a more intelligent partner.

Albus sighed, took ten points off Slytherin and told Draco to shut up. What had he done wrong this time? Wasn't Goyle one of Draco's best friends? 'I'll never understand those Slytherins!'

Draco glowered but complied. He was still in a bad mood after the fight last night. Who did Severus think he was? Their head of house?

'Well, actually he is.' a small voice in his head reminded him. Angrily he decided to ignore that voice and slammed his book down with such force that the whole table shook, nearly missing Gregory's fingers in the process.

Gregory quickly withdrew to the opposite end of the table eying Draco cautiously. He might be a lot stronger then his small friend, but he knew he didn't stand a chance against Draco when he was in that kind of mood. Draco had a mean temper and a devious mind that none of the other Slytherins could match. Except for Severus, that was. Severus was always as bad as Draco was on his worst days.

On the other end of the room Severus gently sat his hedgehog onto his table and began to set up potion ingredients.

Greenie sniffed happily around amongst the ingredients tasting a beetle here, taking a large bite out of a caterpillar there ...

"Severus, that hedgehog is eating our supplies!" complained Hermione. "Please get him away from there!"

Severus ignored her. He was in just as bad a mood as Draco and wasn't going to talk to some annoying Gryffindor know it all.

Hermione decided to take matters into her own hands and grabbed Greenie intending to put him back into his cage. But the moment she touched the hedgehog Severus screamed with anger and grabbed her wrist painfully hard.

"Let Greenie go at once!" he hissed waving his wand at her. "Or else I'll turn you into a slug and feed you to him!"

Frightened Hermione tried to step back and away from Severus, but his tight hold on her wrist wouldn't permit it.

"Let go of me first!" she shouted. "I'm not going to harm him, but he can't stay on the table with all the potion ingredients. You have to put him back in his cage!"

"No!" screamed Severus back at her. "That's my hedgehog and he can do whatever he wants! I won't let you harm him!"

"You can't let him eat up all the ingredients! Put him in his cage!"

"No!"

"Yes!

"NO!"

"YES!"

Their shouting got louder and louder until the whole class was staring at them in stunned silence. Nobody could believe that quiet, friendly Hermione of all people would take on Severus.

Albus Dumbledore sighed once again and walked over to Severus and Hermione.

"Whatever is going on here?" he demanded.

"She scared Greenie!" - "He's letting that stupid hedgehog eat our ingredients!" they shouted at the same time.

"Calm down!" ordered Dumbledore. "I can't understand a thing if you both talk at the same time."

They fell silent glaring daggers at each other and breathing heavily.

"Now Hermione, tell me what this is all about."

"HE..." Hermione began shouting.

"But don't shout!" added Dumbledore quickly.

Hermione took a deep breath and started again more calmly.

"That hedgehog is eating our ingredients, but Severus won't put him in his cage." she explained. "I tried to ask him nicely, but he ignored me so I decided to put him away myself."

"She scared Greenie!" Severus shouted again.

Dumbledore took the small tightly rolled up little ball out of Hermione's hands. The hedgehog did look a little frightened, he had to admit. He handed him back to Severus and to his surprise the boy actually tried to cuddle the spiky little creature.

He looked at the ingredients lined up on the table. It was quite obvious that someone had indeed nibbled at them.

"Well Hermione, I think you'd better not touch that hedgehog again." Dumbledore advised "And you Severus, put him back in the cage. We really do need those ingredients."

"No!" insisted Severus. "He needs to be able to walk around, get some exercise."

"Not in my class." declared Dumbledore. "Not if he eats up all the supplies."

"But Albus ..."

"Don't call me Albus!"

"Alright, Sir! Those aren't particularly rare or expensive ingredients, Sir. It doesn't really matter if Greenie eats some of them, Sir. And if that makes him happy I don't care about..."

"You might not care, but I do!" Dumbledore nearly shouted. "Now: PUT. THAT. HEDGEHOG. IN. HIS. CAGE. before I decide to ban him from MY class just like Minerva did. That's an order, Severus! Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Sir!" said Severus saluting like a soldier.

"Severus!"

"But I refuse to participate any further in YOUR lesson under those circumstances."

"SEVERUS!"

Severus gently put Greenie, who was still curled up in fear, into his cage. Then sat down in his chair with the cage in his lap and folded his arms in front of his chest.

Once again his classmates were forced to work around him.

Dumbledore gave up on Severus after a while and decided to concentrate on teaching the rest of the class instead. At least Severus wasn't going to pull any pranks while he was sulking.

Still Albus ran into some unexpected problems. Hermione had to work alone and despite her superior knowledge could not keep pace with the rest of the class. Dumbledore tried to help her out now and then, but he was needed elsewhere.

Draco insisted on working almost alone as well. He let Gregory cut ingredients for him, but wouldn't let him get anywhere near the potion. He claimed that Gregory would only mess it up 'just like Neville'. Dumbledore tried to convince him, but had to give up when Draco showed signs of following Severus' example.

Neville proved to be a problem as well. He accidentally pushed his cauldron over twice and he and Dean had to start over. Dean tried to watch him constantly and prevented some of the worst mistakes, but Dumbledore had to keep an eye on him nevertheless for Dean had to get some work done sometime.

To Dumbledore's surprise Harry and Ron proved to be another problem. They were happily chatting away and forgetting to stir their potion, or to add the next ingredient at the right time or they were just not listening to what he was saying.

'I had no idea that one shouldn't pair kids that get on too well with each other either.' he thought after their cauldron had boiled over for the third time that day. 'I'll have to take that into account next time.'

At least this time no fight had broken out between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors yet, though Milicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson had exchanged a few blows and Lavender Brown and Parvati Pattil had had a shouting match and were not talking to each other. In both cases Dumbledore had managed to step in before the situation could escalate and he now kept a sharp eye on those two pairs as well. He had no idea how Lavender and Parvati managed to work together without talking. 'Well, most likely their product will show if it's possible.'

Albus was still helping Harry and Ron to clean up after their latest accident when Dean came up to him with a question and left Neville unsupervised for a few seconds.

That was enough.

Suddenly Albus heard Hermione's shout behind him.

"Neville! No!"

"No, Neville! Don't!" Severus screamed at almost the same moment jumping up.

It was too late however. When Albus turned to see what was going on a strange blue mist was rising from Neville's cauldron.

"What ... " Dumbledore started to ask, but was interrupted by Severus.

"Everybody out!" the boy ordered. "Leave the room!"

None of the pupils asked any questions. They grabbed their bags and ran.

"Wait a minute! Stop!" Dumbledore shouted into the chaos, but was ignored.

He grabbed Severus' shoulder as he ran past him hedgehog cage under his arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded angrily.

"That gas is poisonous, Albus! Get out!"

"Poisonous?"

Severus nodded pulling at Dumbledore's sleeve trying to drag him out.

"Alright. Everybody out!" ordered Dumbledore even though everybody else had already left. "I'll just open ..."

"Albus! The dungeon doesn't have any windows." Severus reminded him.

Dumbledore finally followed him out of the room and Severus slammed the door shut behind them.

"So, how do we get the gas out?" asked Dumbledore.

"It'll have to go through the air vents." explained Severus patently. "That takes some time of course. I don't think it would be wise to use this room until next week."

"Next week? How can I teach potions without a classroom for a whole week? None of the other rooms are large enough and properly equipped!" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"Teach theory, Albus! You can use any old classroom large enough for that." advised Severus calmly.

Dumbledore sighed heavily and dismissed the class. There was no way around it: They were now three weeks behind the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. As he locked the classroom he wondered how Snape would deal with this in his place.

'He most likely wouldn't have gotten himself into this situation in the first place.' he realised. 'He wouldn't have let his pupils get so out of hand last week and he'd have kept an eye on Neville and prevented him from creating poison.'

Severus gathered up his books and hedgehog and dashed off while the others were still standing around gaping at the closed door.

"Hey, where are you running off to?" Blaise called after him much to the surprise of his dorm mates.

"The library!" Severus called back over his shoulder. "I've got some studying to do!"

"Perfect." whispered Blaise to Vincent. "Time to execute our plan."

They had been partnered during the lesson and Draco had heard them whisper about something the whole time. What were they up to? And what was Severus intending to study? Somehow Daco doubted that it had anything to do with homework.

He didn't have to wait long for the answer to the first question. Blaise and Vincent almost dragged him and Gregory back to their dorm.

"We need to teach Severus a lesson." Blaise explained as soon as they were alone. "He's been digging through our trunks and stealing our stuff ever since he got here. It's time we gave him a taste of his own medicine."

"You mean you're going to break into his trunk?" asked Draco' incredulously.

"We are!" confirmed Blaise. "Don't tell me you don't want to get back on him as well. He even stole money from you after all!"

Draco nodded slowly. That was right. Severus seemed to think that there was nothing wrong with digging through other people's trunks. He had practically said so. And they wouldn't do anything really bad. Just hide some of his stuff, maybe get back some things he had stolen.

"Alright, let's do it." he agreed. "Gregory you're lookout! Go back down into the common room and wait for Severus. If he comes before we're done here insult him, start a fight and create a big racket. Make sure that we hear it."

Gregory gulped. Start a fight with Severus?

"Do I have to fight him all alone?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, you don't." lied Draco. "Just start the fight and we'll come down and help you.

Gregory looked doubtful.

"Come on, Greg." Vincent encouraged him. "He isn't even likely to come at all. He'll be staying in the library and going directly to the next lesson afterwards."

Gregory sighed and finally walked out.

"He must be really scared of Severus." commented Blaise grinning.

"Yes," said Draco thoughtfully. I've never seen him like this before.

Blaise just shrugged and knelt down by Severus' trunk pulling out his wand.

"Alohomora!"

Nothing happened. The lock remained closed.

The three boys looked at each other surprised. With what spells had Severus enchanted his trunk?

They tried every opening spell they knew and after almost half an hour when they were getting desperate because their time was running out Draco even cast 'Finite Incantatem'.

Still nothing happened.

Vincent went over to his own trunk to get something to manually brake the lock with.

"Are you sure we ought to do this?" Draco asked doubtfully. "I mean, Severus is actually a teacher and ... "

"Severus?" laughed Blaise. "A teacher? When has Severus ever behaved like a teacher. He's just a little rat and he deserves it."

Draco saw the gleam in the eyes of the other two boys and decided to better go along but keep to the background as much as he could without being to obvious and just watch them.

Vincent finally produced an iron bar to break the lock with. Draco watched him surprised. Did he always carry an iron bar in his trunk? Sometimes he did worry about Vincent a little. He sure knew how to use it. The lock was open in less than a minute.

With a shout of triumph Blaise threw open Severus' trunk and grabbed the first object inside.

SNAP!

"Ahhh!"

Tears of pain were streaming over Blaise's face as he withdrew his hand letting the trunk slam shut once again.

Vincent stood staring at Blaise's hand and the mousetrap dangling from his fingers in complete shock.

'I don't believe this.' thought Draco. 'Severus really must have invested my pocket money in more mousetraps. Is his whole trunk filled with them? But why would they be set? And when did he have time to buy them?'

Slowly Vincent began to recover from the shock and set to carefully peeling the mousetrap off of Blaise's hand. Blaise whimpered softly through clenched teeth at every touch.

Draco set down on his bed and watched them. Severus couldn't have had time to buy any more mousetraps or even to get somebody else to buy them for him. But that meant that this had to be one of those Susan had brought him last week and Severus had said that he didn't have any of them left. He would have used it on Draco if he'd had one, wouldn't he?

 

Right after lunch Severus headed for the library once again. He wasn't really intending to study. He was going to observe. He needed to know exactly where Madam Pince kept her stuff and when she and Dobby left the library.

Right now he had a lot of time for his observation, because the first lesson in the afternoon would have been care for magical creatures and Hagrid was still 'sick'.

He turned a corner into another corridor and was met by a large group of glowering Slytherins.

Severus stopped. The whole fifth year was there with the exception of Blaise. He grinned slightly at that realisation. He had returned to his dorm before lunch to drop off his books and discovered that somebody had broken the lock on his trunk and that the mousetrap he had set up there for just such an eventuality was gone. He had been wondering who the victim had been.

His triumph however was short lived. The Slytherins advanced on him from the front as well as both sides. Soon they'd be behind him as well. Severus prepared for a fight.

To his surprise this time it wasn't Draco who spoke first. It was Pansy Parkinson.

"We've had enough of you, Severus." she stated calmly.

Severus met this announcement with his customary cold stare. Pansy was the usual spokesperson for the girls, but in his opinion she wasn't nearly as dangerous as Draco. If this attack was her idea and Draco was merely watching Severus stood a good chance of scaring them off.

Pansy got visibly nervous and took an involuntary step back towards the support of her girls. She obviously had planned to say more, but didn't dare to now that she was faced with Severus' cold glare.

"We've decided to teach you a lesson." she said no longer sounding all that sure of herself.

'Yes, I've got her!' thought Severus. If he kept glaring at her only a few moments longer she'd turn away and run and the others would follow. Unless Draco stepped in.

What was Draco doing? Severus wished that he could look over to him, but that would mean breaking eye contact with Pansy and he couldn't afford that at the moment. She'd jump at him the moment he did.

Pansy took another step backwards and collided with Millicent Bulstrode.

Millicent stumbled back and Pansy turned to run ...

That was the moment Vincent and Gregory attacked Severus from both sides. He hadn't even seen them comming.

Greenie's cage dropped noisily to the floor.

"No! Greenie!" Severus shouted scrambling to check on his hedgehog.

But Vincent and Gregory never let him reach Greenie. They grabbed him roughly from both sides. He was trapped and helpless.

'Draco must have signalled them to sneak up and attack me.' realised Severus. Only Draco could have understood what he was trying to do and only Draco would have known how to stop him.

Now that he was down he had no more hold over Pansy. She stopped at once and led the rest of the Slytherins in their attack.

 

Dumbledore had retreated into his office after lunch. He had told Filch to clean up one of the old classrooms near the office. That would be much more comfortable for him than Snape's dungeon classroom, but the room wouldn't be ready before tomorrow morning. Therefore there wouldn't be any potions lessons today.

That gave Albus some time to check his mail and work on a possible solution for Severus' problem.

He only wished that the boy wasn't so angry with him. Dumbledore hated to admit it, but he had lost touch with Severus. Well, the best way to set that right was obviously to find that antidote.

The letters from Durmstrang and Beauxbattons weren't encouraging. Still all test animals died a painful death as soon as they were exposed to the potion.

The French potion master seemed horrified. She kept mentioning her worries about keeping a substance so dangerous at a school full of children and advised strongly to keep any samples as well as the recipe under lock and key at all times and not to let any pupils near them.

Her counterpart from Durmstrang was obviously fascinated with the potion. He had written nearly ten pages of detailed descriptions of the test animals suffering and added comments from some of his pupils who seemed just as intrigued as their teacher.

Albus forced himself to read the whole letter even though the horrid descriptions turned his stomach. There might be some important fact hidden in there somewhere. He wondered if he should pass on the warnings he had received from Beauxbattons to Durmstrang, but realised that they would only be ignored.

He shouldn't have let Durmstrang get involved in the whole mess in the first place, he realised. Most of their pupils' parents were known supporters of Voldemort and if they passed on the recipe... Albus could only hope that Voldemort was busy with something else and would ignore Neville Longbottom's 'youth potion'. Voldemort was immortal anyway. He had no use for youth potions.

'Yes, if we keep calling it a youth potion it just might escape Voldemort's attention.' decided Dumbledore.

Albus wished he had never given Severus the recipe for that potion.

'I must not give him a chance to do any research of his own. Who knows what might happen to him!'

Demanding the parchment back wouldn't help any at all. He knew Severus well enough to know that he had already memorised the recipe.

He closed his eyes for a moment concentrating on calming down his stomach and then picked up the next letter. It was from the ministry. They too were part of the search for an antidote for Neville's potion though Albus hardly ever took them into account when estimating their chances at results. They seemed a terribly incompetent lot.

He opened the letter and was surprised that it contained only one page. The ministry officials usually had a way of stretching the simplest fact for over two pages at least with their 'correct official language'. If they wrote a short letter something must be wrong.

He didn't get a chance to find out what however. His office door opened abruptly and Minerva McGonagall burst in holding a very battered looking hedgehog cage in her hands.

"Albus, I sent your fifth years to the hospital wing." she reported setting the cage down on his desk. "Here, you take the little monster and give it back to Severus. I don't have any idea what else to do with it and it'll give you a perfect opportunity to talk to him."

"You sent my fifth years to the hospital wing?" repeated Dumbledore baffled.

"The Slytherins, Albus." McGonagall explained still breathing heavily. "You are currently head of Slytherin, remember?"

Dumbledore assumed that she must have run all the way up to his office to be so out of breath. Either that or it was nerves, but that couldn't be. Not Minerva McGonagall.

"Sit down, Minerva." he said calmly and she sank into one of the chairs gratefully. "Now which Slytherin fifth years did you send to the hospital wing and why?"

"All of them." she stated curtly.

"All of them?" repeated Dumbledore. "Whatever happened?"

"They beat up Severus again and he fought back." explained Professor McGonagall. "Did he have hand to hand combat training at some time?"

"Well, you might call it on the job training." grinned Dumbledore but immediately got serious once again. "Are they badly hurt?"

"No, I think Severus is hurt worst, but that's not surprising considering it was nine on one against him." sighed Minerva. "Poppy said she'd have all of them fixed within an hour."

"Well, then there isn't really a problem." Albus decided and turned his attention to Greenie who was only now beginning to unroll himself.

The hedgehog stuck his nose out first and when nothing dangerous happened followed it with his entire face. He looked up to see Dumbledore looking down at him.

"Sniff!" Greenie complained. That was supposed to mean something like. 'Hey funny guy, the world keeps tilting upside down and turning around. I don't like it and hope that it has stopped now.'

Albus took it to mean 'They've been throwing me around and dropping heavy things on my cage. I don't like that. Please make them stop.' which wasn't too far from the truth.

He smiled. "It's all right, Greenie. You're save now."

The hedgehog felt reassured and unrolled completely.

Dumbledore set to bending the cage back into shape.

Minerva McGonagall sighed heavily.

"Albus, there is a problem." she said firmly. "I needed the help of Mr. Filch and several magic spells to peal those kids off of Severus. Nobody was seriously hurt, but there's no telling what might have happened if I hadn't come by in time. The situation between Severus and his classmates is getting dangerous. We have to get the kids to accept him and he needs some friends who will stick up for him when he gets in trouble."

"Alright, alright." said Dumbledore. "I'll talk to him."

He went over to the fireplace, called Madam Pomfrey and asked her to send Severus straight to his office when she was done with him.

"Tell him I have his hedgehog if he doesn't want to come." he added as an afterthought.

He turned back to McGonagall.

"Satisfied?" he asked her.

"Only if your talk has some results." sighed Minerva McGonagall and turned to leave. "Good luck, Albus."

Dumbledore sighed too and returned to the letter from the ministry. That made him sigh once again. The ministry was informing him that they had come to the conclusion that there was no antidote for that particular potion and they were therefore concluding their research.

'Well, they never were any help anyway.' thought Dumbledore.

Still he was feeling a little betrayed and left alone with his problem. 'Severus' problem, that is.'

 

"You wanted to see me, Sir." said Severus in his coldest voice.

Dumbledore flinched. That wasn't starting too well.

"You can still call me Albus when we're not in class, you know." he reminded the boy smiling.

"I'd rather not, Sir." answered Severus not changing his tone in the slightest.

Dumbledore had to fight hard with himself to keep his smile in place. How could he get close to the boy again? Severus was almost like a son to him. 'I should have shown him that sooner.'

"Relax, I didn't call you here to punish you for any pranks, this time." he said gesturing for Severus to sit down.

Severus sat down reluctantly obviously feeling uncomfortable in the headmaster's office.

"I just wanted to return your hedgehog to you."

Severus jumped up again.

"Is Greenie all right? Where is he?"

"Right there." Albus answered smiling for real this time. "He looked a little frightened when Minerva brought him here, but I think he's fine now."

Severus dashed over to the cage picked out the hedgehog and gently checked him for any damage. Greenie seemed unharmed. Severus returned to his chair with the hedgehog in his arm. He looked a little more relaxed now.

Albus shook his head slightly. He would never have thought that such a spicky creature could have such a calming effect on one of his pupils. Well, Severus wasn't really a pupil.

"Listen Severus, you can't go on antagonising your classmates all the time." Dumbledore said as seriously as he could. "Please try to be a little nicer to them."

"They aren't nice to me." complained Severus. "They've hated me from day one. I'm just trying to defend myself."

"By provoking them and sending them to the hospital wing?"

"If they're scared of me they won't attack. It's a precautionary measure."

"Severus, if they're scared of you they'll attack in larger groups, like they did today." Dumbledore corrected.

"I almost scared them off." argued Severus. "I already had Pansy. They would have run if Draco's friends hadn't come at me from behind at exactly the wrong moment."

"Draco's friends? You know friends are a good way to protect oneself. why don't you try to make some friends instead of enemies." suggested Dumbledore.

"Friends? Who? They all hate me."

"Hm ... Let's see now. One of your dorm mates would be best." mused Dumbledore. "How about Mr. Zabini. He doesn't seem so close to the others. He might be lonely, too."

"Blaise?" shouted Severus. "Blaise hates me most of all. He's the meanest of the lot, you know. He's never as conspicuous as Draco, but there is a good reason why the others keep a certain distance from him, you know. I hate Blaise."

"Alright, how about Mr. Goyle then?" Dumbledore tried. "He doesn't seem to be as aggressive towards you as the others. Maybe he likes you."

"Gregory's afraid of me." explained Severus with a mean grin. "He was the first one who attacked me and therefore the first one I singled out. We've established the pecking order between us. I don't want him for a friend anyway. Hhe's a bigger idiot than Neville. Sorry, Neville ain't an idiot. He's just clumsy. Gregory's an idiot and I don't like him much either."

"Okay, let's try this the other way round then." decided Dumbledore. "Who do you like. Who's your favourite pupil in this school?"

"Draco." said Severus without a moment's thought. "I like Draco."

Dumbledore stared for a moment thinking that he hadn't heard him correctly. That had to be a mistake.

"Draco?" he asked.

Severus nodded.

"Draco Malfoy?"

Severus nodded again.

"The son of Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes, that's the one. Do we have any other Draco in this school?" Severus asked confused.

"After all that his father did to you?"

"Draco isn't like his father."

"Mean, spiteful, teasing Draco Malfoy?" asked Dumbledore. "Draco Malfoy who is always found wherever there is any trouble? That Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, that Draco Malfoy." confirmed Severus. "You don't know that boy like I do. He's a nice kid deep down."

'Must be very deep down.' Dumbledore thought to himself. Out loud he said: "Well, he certainly wouldn't be my choice, but you have to choose your own friends. I want you to try to be nice to him. Promise me that you'll make friends with Draco Malfoy."

"Alright," said Severus "I promise to try."

 

Still to come: some more adventures at night, Severus tries to make friends, more fighting, Why is Severus observing the library staff?, We have to go to Dumbledore's office again., What are Severus' plans for DADA? and my attempt at a big cliffhanger (wonder if I can pull this of)


	10. Bad News

Chapter 10: Bad News

 

Severus arrived late for herbology. He walked in, grinned apologetically at Professor Sprout and flopped down beside Draco who had teamed up with Vincent, Gregory and Blaise.

"Hi!"

Draco looked at him quizzically.

"Hi?" he asked. "What's wrong with you?"

"I promised the headmaster to be nice to you." Severus smiled.

"Nice? You?" laughed Draco. "You never should make promises you can't keep."

"Maybe I can."

"You? You don't even know what being nice means." declared Vincent.

"As if any of you did." snarled Severus angrily.

"I believe I told you to work quietly." Professor Sprout reminded them sternly. "Severus, you are late. Do you have any excuse at all?"

"I was with the headmaster." grinned Severus. "You can ask him if you want."

Professor Sprout sighed. She couldn't take points off Severus for talking to Dumbledore. Not even for his insolent behaviour.

"We are working in groups of four today, Severus and as you can see there are already four members in this group. So kindly join that group over there." she ordered pointing at a group of Ravenclaws at the other end, of the greenhouse.

Severus got up slowly and sulked over to his appointed group. The Ravenclaws didn't exactly look happy to see him and refused to talk to him at all.

After trying to break their silence for a while Severus got up and walked over to Professor Sprout.

"That group you assigned me to doesn't seem to want me." he complained. "They're not letting me do any work at all. Can I try working with one of the other groups? I'm bored."

Sprout stared at him for a moment. What sort of trick was that?

"No, you can't! Return to your group and help them."

"But they're not letting me help!"

"I don't care what you do, Severus, as long as you stay with your group. Now, go!" Sprout ordered.

Severus returned to sit beside his group and watched Greenie dig up and devour an earthworm. The hedgehog made loud smacking noises while eating. Obviously worms were very tasty.

Severus scraped around in the soft soil and dug up some more worms to feed Greenie. The hedgehog happily ate them out of his hands.

"Ahem!" he heard somebody behind him.

Severus turned. It was Professor Sprout and she looked very angry.

"You said I could do whatever I want if I stay with my group. Well, I want to feed my hedgehog and I am with my group."

"Hedgehogs do not belong in greenhouses, Severus. They eat earthworms."

"Yes, I noticed that." said Severus holding another worm out to Greenie.

"Earthworms do belong in greenhouses." Sprout continued unperturbed. "They loosen the soil and allow the plants to take root. Therefore they are very important."

"Greenie thinks they're important, too." said Severus. "He says they are very tasty."

Sprout regarded the hedgehog. The hedgehog regarded Sprout.

"Sniff!" commented Greenie.

"Take that hedgehog and put him back in his cage, Severus!" ordered Sprout.

"But ..."

"I do not want my earthworms eaten by your hedgehog. Please find some other food for him elsewhere and put him in his cage."

Severus complied grinding his teeth. He returned to watching the three Ravenclaws work. They were still ignoring him. It was still boring.

Five minutes later the first firecracker exploded inside a bucket Sprout used to water plants.

The Slytherins consequently left the greenhouse with thirty points less than they had come in with (and that had been somewhere around -400.) and in a very bad mood.

When Draco returned to his dorm however he found his box of sweets sitting innocently on his bed. He checked it's contents and found that only a few chocolate frogs and a box of everyflavour beans were missing. That and twenty galleons.

'I wonder what Severus did buy.' he thought as he returned the box to it's normal place in his trunk. 'It can't have been that one mousetrap.'

He considered finding a safer place to hide his sweets and money, but decided against it. Severus had given them back. He wasn't likely to steal them again. Maybe Severus did know how to be nice after all?

 

Wednesday was a bad day for Professor Binns. He was already in a very bad mood when he floated to his classroom for the fifth years history of magic lesson and it only got worse from then.

Once again he found the door closed. With a quick glance he assured himself that nobody could see him. Then he tried to grab the handle and open the door. Of course his hand went right through it.

He'd have to float through the door once again. Oh the indignity! He hated not being able to touch things and he hated it when his pupils giggled or laughed when he was forced to walk through objects.

This had happened a bit too often in the last two weeks, he decided, He had never had to remind fifth years to leave the door open for him before. How could they forget after they had been doing it for four years?

Giving up his small hope that somebody might still open the door for him he gathered as much dignity as he could muster under the circumstances and floated into the classroom.

He was greeted by loud giggles and sniggers just as he had expected. Casting an angry glance around the room he caught the triumphant grin on Severus Snape's face. Aha! That was the reason for his troubles.

He gave Severus a reprimanding look.

Severus smiled back angelically.

He'd have to talk to Dumbledore about Severus. With a mental sigh Binns turned to read out the register.

As always some pupils insisted that he'd gotten their names wrong. How could that be possible? He always wondered. He had all their names written down on his list and he prided himself in remembering the name of every student he had ever taught and after nearly three hundred years of teaching that was really a lot of people.

He ignored the complaints as always. Sometimes he wondered why the kids never could think of a new way to shorten his lessons. They ought to know by now that he didn't fall for the 'You got my name wrong.' game.

But he didn't have time for that anyway. He needed to get at least half of the werewolf - vampire wars done by next week or he wouldn't get all of You-Know-Who's story in before the OWLS.

He put down the register and started his lecture. The pupils leaned back to listen. As always some of them did either not understand the importance of what he was teaching or they just couldn't concentrate that long.

Well, they were very young after all. He couldn't expect them all to understand these things. Binns ignored their whispering as he always did.

But the whispering got louder. Binns had to concentrate on blocking it out. No, he wasn't going to react to their unimportant chatter.

What was that all about, anyway? He listened in with half an ear for a moment and heard something like '... father ... death eater ... Voldemort....'

Voldemort! - He'd better stay out of this.

But after a while he got curious again. The talking had grown even louder and had nearly turned into shouting.

He turned to write on the blackboard. (It was especially enchanted so he could write on it without having to hold a piece of chalk, which he couldn't do.) And once again he listened. Something about sweets, money, house points and a fight? Odd combination.

Well, it was none of his busyness.

He returned his full attention to the blackboard and the names of the most important vampire leaders during the first werewolf - vampire war.

Suddenly there was a loud bang behind him, followed by the sounds of several objects falling in rapid succession and excited shouting from many students.

Now, this was getting a bit too much. Binns turned around to see what was going on.

Two boys were rolling on the floor fighting. Several others were about to join in.

For a moment Binns stared at them. Never before in his almost three hundred years as a teacher had a fight broken out in his class.

Shouting angrily at the children he raced over and tried to pull the fighters apart.

The sudden outburst of the usually so phlegmatic ghost was enough to stop Gregory, Vincent, Blaise and the girls from joining the fight. They stood motionless staring open mouthed as Binns tried to pull apart Draco and Severus.

That however proved impossible as his hands went right through the boys, who didn't even seem to notice it in the heat of the battle.

Binns tried shouting at them, threatened them with detention and got more and more desperate as they continued to ignore him.

He realised for the first time that being dead was a certain disadvantage for a teacher. What should he do? What could he do?

And then he realised that there were things that he could do that a living person could not. He floated up through the ceiling and through several walls and poked his head through the floor of Dumbledore's current classroom.

Dumbledore's pupils screamed with excitement. Potions theory had been extremely dull until this moment, almost as dull as history of magic.

"Help!" Binns said to the surprised headmaster. "They're fighting in my class and all I can do is walk through them."

For a moment Dumbledore was confused. Then he remembered which class Binns was supposed to be teaching.

He cast a look over his own pupils and made his decision.

"Class dismissed." he announced.

Loud cheers erupted all over the room and everyone raced for the door. The headmaster still managed to be the first one out.

He raced down to Binn's classroom setting a new school record for speed in the hallways and burst into the classroom.

It was not, as he had feared, all the Slytherins who were fighting. Only Draco and Severus were rolling on the floor while the rest were just cheering Draco on.

Draco could use the encouragement, too. He was obviously loosing this fight. It seemed only pure rage kept him from surrendering at all.

"SEVERUS!" shouted Dumbledore grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him back as hard as he could. "Let him go!"

Severus obeyed immediately. He stood up looking at the headmaster rather apologetically.

"Sorry." he stated softly.

Draco got up with some difficulty. He must have hurt his leg in the fight. Luckily Dumbledore managed to grab his arm with his free hand before he could throw himself at Severus once again.

'Now, what am I to do with them?' Albus thought. 'Right! Send them to the headmaster's office. ... Wait a minute. ... I am the headmaster.'

"All right, you two, accompany me to my office. The rest of you sit back down. You can continue with your lesson, Professor Binns," he said nodding at the ghost who had been watching his actions looking a bit embarrassed. "I'll take care of the troublemakers."

Severus and Draco followed Dumbledore through the empty halls casting quick nervous glances at each other, looking away whenever the other noticed. After all they weren't talking to each other. The other didn't even exist. No.

"Sir?"

"What?" demanded Dumbledore unnerved.

"I forgot my hedgehog in class. May I go back and get him, Sir?"

"No, you can get him later."

"But what if Professor Binns locks up his classroom? Greenie would be locked in overnight. He might get scared."

"He can't lock the classroom. You both left your books in there." Dumbledore reminded them.

They reached the office and Albus told the boys to sit down. They did so nervously once again glancing at each other whenever they thought the other wouldn't notice.

Dumbledore had to hide a smile. Maybe there was a chance these two could be friends yet.

"Severus, didn't you promise me to be nicer to Draco? Didn't you say you were going to try to make friends?"

Draco looked up at Dumbledore surprised, then over to Severus. He had thought that Severus' promise to be nicer had been a general one pertaining to at least all the Slytherins. Why would Dumbledore make Severus promise to be nicer only to him personally? Did they think that he was behind all the attacks on Severus? But that was mostly Blaise's doing!

And what did Dumbledore mean by 'make friends'. Draco knew that he wasn't exactly a pleasant person to be around. Severus would certainly never want to be his friend. Then again Snape always had been surprisingly nice to Draco.

Severus looked down at his toes unable to meet Dumbledore's eyes. He didn't even know himself what exactly had gone wrong.

"I tried." he said softly to his toes. "I really tried to be nice, but it didn't work."

Dumbledore began to wish that they had gone back for the hedgehog. Maybe if Severus could hold his pet he'd be able to actually talk to him. Sighing he turned his attention to Draco, a boy he never really knew how to handle.

He knew that it couldn't be easy to be Lucius Malfoy's son and pitied the boy for that, but, he realised suddenly, he had never taken the time and made an effort to actually get to know Draco. He had ignored most of the Slytherins in favour of the Gryffindors. And HE had always accused Snape of being unfair? At least Snape had done so consciously and by choice.

Well, it was no use lamenting over lost chances now. He could only try to do better in the future.

'And you can start by talking to Draco right now!' he ordered himself. "So why were you two fighting, anyway?"

"The little thief stole my transfigurations essay!" shouted Draco angrily.

"I did not!" protested Severus.

"And then he called my father a death eater.

"You called me a thief."

"Well, you are a thief! Everyone knows that!"

Suddenly Severus grinned.

"I never said I wasn't. I am. I just don't like people to say so and your father is a death eater and you know it. He just doesn't like people to say so either."

Dumbledore sighed heavily.

"Alright, will you two please stop insulting each other?" he asked.

Silence.

He decided to interpret that as a yes.

"Now, Severus stole your transfiguration homework, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes." Draco stated calmly.

"No!" shouted Severus. "I only stole Millicent's. I'd never steal from you."

"You already did!" screamed Draco enraged.

"You wouldn't share your sweets. And anyway I gave them back."

"Oh? And what about my money?"

"Money?" asked Dumbledore alarmed.

"Alright, so I owe you. You'll get it back."

"Severus! You steal money from your dorm mates?" Dumbledore nearly shouted despite his resolve to stay calm.

"Just that once and I'll give it back. I promise."

Dumbledore stared at Severus fighting his rage, not trusting himself to speak.

"It's not like Draco can't afford it." protested Severus pouting.

"How much did you steal, Severus?" Dumbledore asked with forced calm.

"Twenty galleons." Severus admitted softly again talking to his feet.

Albus wordlessly handed Draco twenty galleons out of his own pocket, but continued to stare angrily at Severus.

Severus didn't move.

"Mr. Malfoy, you may leave, now. I will however take ten points off Slytherin for starting a fight during class."

Draco looked from Dumbledore who was obviously seething with barely controlled rage to Severus who was making himself as small as he possibly could still staring fixedly at his feet.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to leave those two alone together right now.

'I shouldn't have mentioned the money.' he thought.

Could one get expelled for stealing? Could Severus get expelled at all? If he did where would he stay until they could turn him back?

Could Draco refuse to go? Probably not.

"Thank you, Sir." he mumbled defeated.

He could only hope that Severus would be alright. Should he wait for him outside? No, he couldn't do that. After all he hated Severus.

But where should he go all alone? Then it hit him: This was the perfect time to go and talk to Ginny without his classmates finding out.

Draco nearly ran out of the headmaster's office headed straight for Gryffindor tower. He'd wait near the entrance until Ginny came by and finally get her to listen to him.

Dumbledore remained silent just until the door closed behind Draco. Then he exploded.

"Are you completely out of your mind?! Stealing from pupils!"

Severus blocked out his voice reciting complicated potion recipes in his head ...

Finally Dumbledore had to calm down. He had shouted himself hoarse.

"You've got detention with Minerva for the rest of the week." he announced more calmly.

"Yes, Sir." mumbled Severus still not looking up.

"And you will return Mr. Malfoy's homework to him."

"But I haven't got it!" shouted Severus. "I'm telling you: I didn't touch his essay. He probably just misplaced it."

"Don't lie to me, Severus!

"I'm not lying!"

"Severus! I've had enough of it. I'm very disappointed. Now, get out of my sight!"

Severus said nothing. He got up and slipped out of the room as quietly as possible. How was he supposed to know where Draco's homework was? He only wished he had Greenie with him.

He returned to Binn's classroom which he found still open.

Binns stared at him angrily as he picked up Greenie and held him close.

"Just take your and your friend's stuff out of here and lock the door, will you." hissed Binns.

"He isn't my friend." said Severus without looking up at Binns. "I don't have any friends."

But he did pick up Draco's bag and books as ordered and took them back to their dorm with him.

 

Draco showed up in the common room a while later looking very beat up.

"Hey, what happened to you?" Severus greeted him. "I didn't give you that black eye."

Draco carefully felt his right eye which was indeed beginning to turn black and scowled at Severus.

"None of your business." he snapped.

Blaise grinned triumphantly. Finally Draco was fighting Severus without outside stimulation. He had been worried by his lack of interest in that battle.

"Oh, come on, Draco!" said Vincent from the other end of the room. "We can all see that somebody beat you up good. Tell us who."

Draco said nothing obviously feeling uncomfortable.

"We're your friends, Draco." Gregory reminded him. "Tell us what happened and we'll help you take revenge."

"Yeah, let's go hit the guy!" exclaimed Vincent with an eager gleam in his eyes.

"Alright, I'll tell you." conceded Draco sitting down beside his two bodyguards. "But you have to promise not to laugh at me."

"Laugh at you? Never!" promised Gregory at once.

Draco grinned despite the fact that that made his split lip hurt. Good old Gregory. Stupid but loyal.

"It was Potty and the weasels." he said quickly to get it over with.

"I thought you liked the Weasleys?" teased Severus who had joined the group uninvited as usual. "Especially the youngest."

"It wasn't Ginny. It was her brothers." scowled Draco. "I was only trying to talk to her, but she wouldn't stop. So I caught her arm and held her. She squeaked and Potty and the redheads came running and nearly killed me. You'd think I'd harmed her."

Blaise, Vincent and Gregory looked expectantly at Draco waiting for more, but he had nothing else to tell them.

"You scared her." explained Severus calmly.

"Scared her?" asked Draco. "I like her, Severus. Why would that scare her?"

"Because you're a Slytherin? And maybe the fact that you've been teasing her and her brothers for years might have something to do with it?" Severus asked back ironically. "Oh, and you shouldn't have grabbed her. Most people react badly to being caught and held by somebody who's stronger than they are. It makes them feel helpless, you know."

"Oh!" was all Draco could say to that.

He remembered how Ginny had slapped him when he had backed her into a comer in the hallways. Suddenly it made sense.

"Then how do I get a girl to stand still long enough to ask her to go out with me?" he asked Severus after a while.

Severus burst out laughing.

"Don't tell me they all run away whenever they see you." he giggled. "I didn't know you're that ugly."

Draco ground his teeth in anger. He really shouldn't have asked Severus for advice.

"They don't all run away. Some of them even run after me. Pansy's all over me most of the time. But I don't want to go out with them. I want Ginny. And Ginny keeps running away."

"Well, in that case you'll just have to convince her that you're not dangerous first." stated Severus. "Good luck!"

"Okay." said Gregory. "Now that that's settled let's go and beat up the Weasleys."

Gregory, Vincent and Blaise jumped up eagerly, but Severus shook his head at them.

"Bad idea." he told Draco. "If you want Ginny to like you, you'd better be nice to her family."

"All of them? Even Ron?!" exclaimed Draco horrified.

"I'm afraid so." nodded Severus.

"Well, alright." decided Draco reluctantly. "If that's the only way. Come on guys. Let's go get my books back from Binns instead."

Again Severus shook his head at them.

"Why not? What's wrong with getting my books back?"

"Nothing. You just can't do it..."

"Why not?" shouted Draco.

"Just let me finish my sentence, will you! You can't do it, because I already got them."

Draco stared at Severus.

"You already got them? What did you do to them?!" he shouted fearing the worst.

"Nothing. Binns just wanted to be rid of them and I had to get Greenie anyway. They're up in the dorm on your bed."

Draco immediately raced up to check on the condition of his books. He found everything lying neatly on his bed in perfect order. Nothing was missing. In fact there was one object to many.

"Severus, that isn't my transfigurations essay."

"I know. It's Millicent's. I don't know where yours is. So I thought you could copy this one if you don't find it."

"You expect me to copy Millicent's transfiguration essay? Millicent sucks at transfigurations. Couldn't you have stolen the essay of somebody who's actually good at this stuff?"

"McGonagall would never believe I wrote it if I did."

"Oh. Well, maybe I can use it as a basis for a new essay. I might be able to write faster that way." decided Draco.

"There is one thing I still don't understand, though." he asked a few minutes later. "If you didn't steal my homework then who did?"

 

It was nearly midnight when Severus once again got up and sneaked out with an excited little green hedgehog in his arm.

He sneaked through the dark, cold corridors carefully listening for any sounds that might warn him of patrolling teachers or Filch. Greenie's spiky little body felt warm and comforting. Even though Severus feared that a badly timed sniff might betray them it was a good feeling not to be completely alone on this adventure.

This time was much riskier then when he had tried to raid his own office. This time he had further to go and was headed for the more popular regions of the castle. Most teachers disliked the dungeons and stayed away from the potions classroom, but the library was a very comfortable place and the danger of running into a teacher there was much higher.

Still after his nightly encounter with the headmaster Severus didn't dare to return to his office if he could avoid it and the poison in his classroom made it impossible anyhow.

Severus listened carefully before he turned another corner and ...

... ran straight into Mrs Norris.

The cat fixed him with an angry glare. Any moment she'd turn and run to Filch. Why hadn't he remembered that Mrs Norris could move about completely noiselessly. He should have had a plan ready in case he ran into her.

A sudden idea struck him just as the cat was about to turn. Quickly he drew out his wand.

"Infante." he whispered.

Mrs Norris turned, saw her own tail flick by and grabbed for it. It twitched away and she let herself drop to the floor all four paws reaching for her tail tip.

Severus grinned at the cat rolling around on the floor chasing her own tail.

"There, you try going back to childhood for a change. Bye, bye kitten!" and Severus took off before anybody else caught him.

The spell on Mrs Norris would hold for only a few hours, but he didn't want to run into Filch after hexing his cat. A week's worth of detentions with McGonagall was just about as much as he could take and if Filch dragged him to Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night and woke the headmaster, that sentence would most likely be doubled.

Strange, as an adult he had actually liked McGonagall, had almost considered her a friend. Of course they had had their little friendly rivalry, but they had gotten along fine. Now he was terribly afraid of her.

Finally he reached the library door. No light shone through the crack under it.

"Good." he whispered. "We made it, Greenie. We'll get the books we need and then with a little luck we'll be back in bed in no time."

"Sniff?" made Greenie.

"Sure, don't worry. Come on in."

Severus turned the handle and walked in. The light from his wand fell straight on Dobby's face. Why was the house elf sleeping on a desk in the library?

Unluckily Dobby proved to be a light sleeper. The light woke him instantly.

"It ... yawn ... already morning?" he asked drowsily.

"No, no. Go back to sleep." answered Severus softly hoping that the elf wasn't fully awake.

But Dobby snapped to attention suddenly remembering his surroundings and duties.

"What Sir doing in library at night?"

"Nothing, we just couldn't sleep." Severus tried to explain edging back towards the door.

"Who we?" Dobby asked confused.

"Me and Greenie here." Severus indicated the hedgehog on his arm.

"Sirs are not supposed to be in library at night. Dobby must sound alarm!"

"No, Dobby! Don't!" Severus shouted racing towards the librarian's desk in a desperate attempt to reach the alarm-paperweight before Dobby.

Dobby of course was both faster and closer. He hopped onto the desk and grabbed the little carved frog. Loud croaking sounded all through the library and, as Severus knew very well, in every teacher's quarters as well.

Dumbledore apparated into the library at once wearing only his nightgown.

'Oh, no!' thought Severus. 'Two weeks with McGonnagall.'

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked still a little disoriented at being woken up so abruptly. "Dobby?"

"Mr. Snape Sir and Mr. Greenie Sir are not supposed to be in the library at night Professor headmaster Sir." The house elf explained. "Dobby had to sound alarm, Professor headmaster Sir."

"Mr. Greenie Sir?" repeated Dumbledore looking at the hedgehog with an amused smile.

Severus was relieved to see that smile. Maybe the punishment wasn't going to be all that bad after all.

"Yes, Professor headmaster Sir." confirmed Dobby.

"Well Mr. Snape and Mr. Greenie, that will be 100 points off Slytherin. For each of you." announced Dumbledore.

"Each of us? But Greenie's not even a Slytherin!" protested Severus.

"He lives in Slytherin house and he is Slytherin green." explained Dumbledore twinkling. "That seems very Slytherin to me. Dobby please see to it that the library remains magically locked at night from now on. And you Severus: If you ever sneak in here again I'll confiscate your wand. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." mumbled Severus.

Well, at least he hadn't gotten any more detentions.

Once again the fifth year Slytherin boys were woken in the middle of the night by Dumbledore bursting in and dragging Severus back to bed. Only this time Severus was still holding his hedgehog.

"Hey, you're not going to let him take that noisy spikeball to bed with him, are you?" protested a very sleepy Blaise when Dumbledore just turned and walked out after tucking in Severus.

"That's my hedgehog. I can take him wherever I like!" protested Severus.

"No you can't!" shouted Vincent.

Dumbledore took one look at the angry faces of the three boys and decided to walk out and close the door behind him. Let them settle this whichever way they would. He was too tired for this.

 

"As I explained to you last week catar like werewolves are creations of Salazar Slytherin." Remus Lupin told his class at the beginning of the last lesson on Thursday afternoon. "Like werewolves they are able to transform into animals. Namely into big wild cats such as panthers and leopards. ..."

Severus suddenly got up strolled demonstratively through the room to the wastepaper basket and threw something in. He turned and took a detour back.

"... Slytherin created them in order to have better soldiers for his army. The werewolves were a failed experiment to him. They only turned into wolves during the full moon and then they could not be controlled. ..."

The wastepaper basket exploded into a shower of multicoloured lights that flew through the entire room leaving coloured spots wherever they landed.

Draco looked over to Severus in surprise. An everglow firecracker? Who'd ever heard of that? Or was that Severus' own invention? What kinds of things could one achieve through potions?

"... Therefore he created another race. One that can transform at will and does not loose their minds when transformed. The catar are therefore no different from animagi. ..."

"Yes they are!" shouted Severus enraged. "The cat is part of their personality and they have it's instincts, which animagi do not!"

"... No different from animagi except for the fact that they have retractable claws even in their human form. These claws however are well hidden. You can not recognise a catar in their human form by the way they look. ..."

Severus' neighbour suddenly jumped up screaming having suddenly discovered that his hair had turned bright purple.

"... In fact it's impossible to recognise them unless in a medical examination and even then only when you know what to look for. It is however very hard to define if the catar are dark creatures or not. ..."

The girl sitting in front of Severus squeaked and started scratching her back. 'Itching powder?' thought Draco. 'Where did he get that?'

"... They were originally created through dark magic, but they are not evil creatures by nature. Their bite is no more dangerous than that of any other cat of that size and they usually aren't aggressive unless threatened. ..."

A large green paper aeroplane hit Remus straight in the face leaving a green smudge on his nose.

"... In fact they are known for their extraordinary patience and curiosity. They can have children with humans, both muggles an wizards, but those children will always be catar. They are in no way different from pure blooded catar. The reason for that extreme dominancy of the catar genes hasn't been fully explained yet. ..."

With a loud crash Remus' DADA book clashed against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"... The Roman Catholic Church however defines the catar as dark monsters and used to hunt them down and burn them much as they did witches and wizards. Unlike their attitude towards us their view of the catar has not changed and those few who have been able to escape their prosecution remain in hiding. ..."

Justin Finch-Fletchley tried to grab his book back out of the air and pull it back down, but Severus' spell was stronger. The book floated over to the teacher's desk hovered above Remus' head for a moment and then dropped. Remus ducked away just in time.

Justin jumped at Severus and pushed him against the wall.

"Justin, please let go of Severus and get your book back!" Remus ordered to everyone's surprise. "Class, open your books on page 346 and start reading. Severus please follow me to my office."

"Page 346 is a picture!" Pansy Parkinson informed Remus.

"Then read page 347."

"Severus, what is going on out there?" Remus asked as soon as he had closed the door behind them.

"You are ignoring me." stated Severus calmly. "And I have things to say. Have you ever really met a catar? I don't think so, because you've got some of your facts wrong. But I have. I know a lot about them. Let me tell!"

"You're not a pupil, Severus. I don't see why I should teach you. Albus can demand that you sit in on my classes, but I don't see why you should be forced to participate."

"Because I want to. Because I'm bored and because it's rude to ignore people." shouted Severus.

Remus looked at him considering his words.

"Are you feeling neglected?"

"Yes!"

"And if I let you help me, be my partner, you will stop disrupting my class."

"Yes!"

"All right partner, come on."

The class stared at them as they walked back into the room side by side. What had Professor Lupin done to Severus? Had he given him detention? Deducted points from Slytherin? Threatened him? Talked to the headmaster? Given him extra homework?

Remus looked at silent frightened faces. He smiled.

"Now class, Severus tells me that he's actually once met a catar. As I told you they are very rare and hiding so very few people ever have a chance to meet them and Severus has promised to tell us all about it." he announced proudly.

You could have heard a pin drop as Severus walked over to the teacher's desk sat on it and began to tell his story.

 

The next Monday morning before breakfast Albus Dumbledore called Severus to his office.

Severus was worried. What had he done this time? He couldn't think of any particularly bad prank he had played over the weekend. As he entered he realised that the headmaster's face was unusually serious.

"Whatever it is I didn't do it." he announced hoping to convince Dumbledore of his innocence.

"No, you didn't do anything. It's quite all right." said Dumbledore gently.

That didn't sound good.

"What's wrong then? Have you finally found the cure?" he asked, but knew that Dumbledore would have a very different expression if that were the case.

"No. Um... How's my little friend Greenie?"

"Greenie's fine." said Severus looking down at the little fellow who was sitting in his cage on the boy's lap. "Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what's going on. ... Sir."

Albus felt a tiny spark of joy at hearing Severus almost forget that he was angry with him. Maybe in a little while everything would be back to normal. Then he remembered why Severus was here.

"So how do you like being a child again? It must be fun."

"No, it's not." Severus answered without hesitation. "I'll be glad to go back to my old life."

"But you've gotten rid of the dark mark and you might have a new chance at life. You could start all over again. Do things differently if you want to."

They both knew what 'things' he was talking about.

"Are you trying to convince me that I don't want to get turned back?" Severus asked sharply.

"Well, there are certain advantages to your new life and..." Dumbledore broke off suddenly.

Severus looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"There is no antidote, is there?" he said voice trembling with fear.

"Well, they're still claiming to work on it at Durmstrang, but I suspect they're just experimenting with the deadly quality of the potion. The others all agree that there is no solution, but to let you grow up naturally." Dumbledore explained gently. "Severus, I ..."

"NOOO!" cried Severus tears streaming down his face.

He grabbed Greenie's cage tightly with one hand and took off running.

Dumbledore jumped up and raced after him but by the time he had rounded his desk and reached the door Severus was already out of sight. Where could he have gone?

Albus knew that he had to find him and calm him down, but where should he look?

 

No 'Still to come-section' this time. I don't want to tell what's gonna happen next yet. (Kind of defeats the purpose of a cliffhanger, don't you think.)


	11. Searching for Severus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - All right. Here it is. This is the big one. This is the chapter in which the most important event in this story takes place. I sure hope you'll like it.
> 
> Special honorary mention - My four detectives who guessed correctly who the thief was: Ludi, debra, Fleur and Sphinx. Special applause to you.

Chapter 11: Searching for Severus

 

Albus Dumbledore ran down into the dungeons and burst into the Slytherin common room at full speed. It was empty. No Severus, nobody else.

'They must already have gone to breakfast.' thought Albus glancing at his watch.

He ought to be there, too. To keep an eye at them. But first he had to calm down Severus. Minerva McGonagall would be watching the Slytherins anyway. She was better at dealing with them too, he had to admit.

'I need a new head for Slytherin fast. And a new potions teacher as well.'

Albus ran up the stairs and checked the boy's dorms. Nothing again. He proceeded to quickly check the bathrooms. There he found only Greenie the hedgehog, who blinked at him through the bars of his cage. Normally he would have stopped to say a few friendly words to the little animal, but he had no time for that now. He had to find Greenie's owner.

He decided to try the girl's dormitories and bathrooms as well. Except for enough perfume in the air to prevent breathing he found nothing.

He returned to the common room and took several deep breaths. How did the girls manage not to suffocate in there? And where had Severus gone to? The dungeons were the only home the boy had and therefore Albus had been sure that he'd find him somewhere in Slytherin house.

But Slytherin house wasn't all the dungeons. The potions classroom! Why hadn't he thought of that before?

Albus ran back through the secret door leaving it open in his hurry. He raced through the corridors and soon reached the now familiar classroom. He had never liked the place and was convinced he never would. It was to gloomy for his taste, but it fit Severus perfectly. In fact Severus had chosen this classroom for himself. They could have adapted any of the larger classrooms in the school to suit his needs even though it was an old school tradition to teach potions in the dungeons. Actually he remembered that there had been teachers who had thought potions up in the towers or in the large rooms near the library before. But Severus liked the dark and cold dungeon classroom. It fit his personality.

But once again Severus was not there nor was he in the office next door.

As Albus looked through the office his eyes were drawn to one of the high shelves which was always kept free of potion ingredients. Albus had done so because it was uncomfortably high to reach, Severus because it was his raven's favourite perch.

The raven! Maybe Severus had gone to cry into the soft feathers of his bird! Albus turned on the spot and ran for Filch's office.

The caretaker of course wasn't there. He was at breakfast with everybody else and the door was locked. Albus didn't even consider going to the great hall and asking Filch for the keys. He opened the office with a quick 'alohomora' spell.

The raven gave a startled squawk as he burst in and hopped away from the stack of papers he had been playing with. Albus grinned when he realised that they were part of the caretaker's files on the Weasley twins. Filch would probably never even realise they were gone if the raven finished them off before the caretaker returned.

He sobered very quickly though. Severus wasn't here and he had run out of places to look.

He'd have to go to the great hall and inform the staff. Maybe they had some suggestions. He sighed heavily when he remembered that he hadn't even informed them that Severus would have to stay a boy yet. It would be quite a shock for most of them.

He had to think of Hagrid, who couldn't continue to play sick until Severus graduated, and of Minerva, who had complained so much about his incompetence in her lessons.

On the other hand he knew that the staff all liked Severus and would feel sorry for him. They would certainly help looking.

And maybe Severus was already up there in the great hall with all the others. Maybe he had already calmed down on his own and rejoined his classmates.

The headmaster entered the great hall immediately looking over to the Slytherin table.

His heart sank at the sight of the empty chair beside Draco. Again Severus obviously wasn't here.

Draco looked at the door behind the headmaster expectantly. Last time he had seen Severus had been when Dumbledore had called him to his office. That had been quite some time ago. The two must have had a very long talk.

He sure hoped Severus wasn't in trouble for one of his little pranks. Maybe they had found a way to turn him back? Maybe that was why he wasn't here? Somehow Draco felt that he'd miss Severus, though he'd be glad to have Snape back. He just felt safer with the sarcastic potions teacher around to protect him.

Draco watched Dumbledore walk over to McGonagall and whisper something into her ear. She followed him to the staff table at the head of the room and sat down in her usual chair. She hadn't done that in a while, Draco realised all of a sudden. She had always stayed close to the Slytherin table to prevent them from fighting ever since Snape had been 'gone'.

Dumbledore must have told McGonagall to come to the table with him. That meant that he must have something important to tell the teachers. Draco watched them closely.

The head table suddenly fell quiet and Dumbledore spoke. Hagrid paled, Filch stared down at his plate, McGonagall pressed her lips tightly together...

Dumbledore fell silent, but he did not eat. He seemed lost in his thoughts. Nor did any of the other teachers resume their meal. Professor Sprout wordlessly put down her spoon, got up and walked out. Some of the teachers turned their heads to watch her leave, but they didn't speak nor made any attempt to stop her. The entire table was completely silent.

After several minutes of staring at Snape's empty chair at the staff table McGonagall got up and returned to her post near the Slytherin table.

Draco looked up at her and met her eyes. For once he did not turn away to break the contact. He wanted to know where Severus was. What was wrong?

McGonagall sighed and motioned for him to return to his meal.

But Draco didn't feel hungry anymore. Maybe Severus was back in the common room. He got up and left the great hall without a word. Gregory, Vincent and Blaise looked up in surprise.

Gregory and Vincent hadn't even noticed the short scene at the teacher's table and they were much to hungry to care anyway.

Blaise however decided better to follow Draco. He wouldn't allow him to start worrying about Severus. He might start to like the little rat and that could not be permitted.

"Hey Draco!" he called after him. "Why're you running off all of a sudden? Wait for me!"

Draco stopped to let Blaise catch up, but didn't reply.

What's wrong with you?" Blaise asked him. "Don't tell me you're worried about Severus. Sometimes one could almost believe that you like the little thief."

"Well, I don't actually like him, but I do think we ought to find out what's going on with him right now." explained Draco. "Did you see how the teacher's reacted when Dumbledore talked to them. And why wasn't Severus at breakfast? He can't still be with Dumbledore, because Dumbledore was there. So where is he?"

"Probably digging around in your trunk looking for some more money to steal." Blaise commented dryly.

"Maybe, but I don't think so." responded Draco. "Still that's one more reason to check on his whereabouts."

But they didn't find anyone in the common room or their dorm. Severus' bag was lying open on his bed as he had left it when he had been called to the headmaster's office.

"Doesn't look like he's even been here at all." Draco stated disappointedly.

"Hey, this is a great chance for revenge!" suggested Blaise. "Let's see if we can't steal something from his bag."

Draco eyed the bag suspiciously.

"No thanks, I don't care about sticking my fingers into mousetraps as much as you do."

That remark sobered Blaise immediately. He cast one last wistful but cautious look at Severus' bag and then walked over to his own bed.

"Maybe I'll just get my books for class, then." he decided.

Draco looked at his watch to see how much time they still had before the first lesson. Most of the school was still at breakfast so there was no reason why Blaise should be in such a hurry all of a sudden. But his watch wasn't there.

'I must have forgotten it in the bathroom.' he decided and ran off to get it.

Indeed there it was. Right on the shelf above the washbasin where he had left it. He grabbed it, put it back on and was about to leave when he noticed the cage in the far corner of the room.

So Severus had been here after all! Draco was sure that he had taken the hedgehog with him when he'd gone of to see Dumbledore. Now the cage was back in it's usual place for the night.

But where had Severus gone to that he'd left his pet behind? The only times he didn't take him along was when he had to see McGonagall. But she had been in the great hall during breakfast. Had he missed Severus only by seconds?

He went over to kneel by the cage for a moment.

"Hi, Greenie."

"Sniff!" greeted the hedgehog.

Draco smiled.

"Where's your owner, Greenie? It isn't like him to leave you behind. Don't you know where he's gone?"

"Sniff?" said Greenie confused.

He was bored and hungry. Nobody had fed him yet today and something told him it was cornflakes-time. Maybe the blond one would give him his own plate again?

But Draco wasn't thinking about feeding hedgehogs at all. He decided that Greenie had no way of telling him where Severus was and that he should tell Blaise what he'd found. Maybe the other boy would have an idea what this might mean.

Draco ran back into the dorm and saw Blaise standing over Severus' bag. He was just pulling something out of his own bag and was about to stuff it into Severus' when Draco suddenly appeared beside him.

Blaise started and dropped the piece of parchment. Draco bent to retrieve it.

"No, don't!" said Blaise a little to quickly.

But Draco already had picked it up.

"Decided to risk the mousetrap, Blaise?" he asked grinning.

But why would Blaise put something into Severus' bag instead of taking something out? And why hadn't he wanted Draco to pick it up?

Blaise lounged for the parchment. Draco quickly stepped back holding it out of Blaise's reach.

What was there on that parchment that Blaise didn't want Draco to see? Draco took one look at it, then stared at Blaise all humour gone from his face.

"That's my transfigurations homework." he stated surprised. "What are you doing with my homework, Blaise?"

"Yours? Is it?" said Blaise quickly. "I didn't know that."

"Oh, really?" asked Draco sarcastically. "Then why didn't you want me to see it? Where did you get my homework, Blaise?"

"Why I found it in Severus' bag of course." replied Blaise calming down. "Ain't that obvious?"

"Don't lie to me, Blaise!" said Draco sharply. "I saw you take it out of your own bag. You were going to put it into Severus' and blame him for stealing it. Right?"

"Alright so it was a little joke." admitted Blaise squirming under Draco's angry look.

"That's not just a little joke." Draco hissed. "You wanted me to take revenge on Severus for something he didn't even do. How many of his other pranks did you stage as well? Why? What do you gain from it?"

"Alright, so I stole your homework. I admit it. But you are too friendly with the little rat. I was just trying to help you see what he's really like." Blaise shouted back at Draco. "You can't make friends with that one Draco. He isn't one of us. He doesn't belong here and we need your help to get rid of him."

Draco said nothing. He'd have to choose sides, but he still didn't know where he stood. Severus most likely didn't care in the least about his choice. But then again he had promised the headmaster to make friends with him. On the other hand Severus couldn't be trusted and if Draco chose his side he'd loose all his other allies.

And what would then happen when Severus got turned back into an adult? Draco would be left all alone. In the situation that Severus was in now. Then again he was really angry with Blaise. How dare he steal his friend's homework just to blame someone else. Which one of them was the traitor here? Draco was no longer sure.

"You're the expert." Blaise continued when Draco didn't react. "You could drive Severus out easily if you only made a real effort. But you're holding back. What's wrong? Are you afraid of what he'll do when he's our teacher again? I don't think he'll do anything. He's asking for trouble. He's been picking fights with us from he first moment. Remember how he attacked Gregory the very first time we met him?"

"Gregory provoked him. He took the challenge." stated Draco calmly. "I don't like Severus either, Blaise, but I kind of like Snape. I don't want to hurt him. That has nothing to do with being afraid. I'm not. But I am grateful for all the little favours he's shown us over the years. We can't just treat him as an enemy all of a sudden. It's not fair of us.

"He's asking for it!" insisted Blaise.

"No, he's not!" Draco screamed back.

He grabbed his bag and the books he would need for this morning's classes and walked out on Blaise slamming the door behind him.

Draco stopped in the common room and took a deep breath to calm himself. He had made an enemy and a dangerous one at that. Blaise was one of his dorm mates and the one most likely to turn the others against him. He'd have to convince his classmates that he was angry at Blaise for stealing his homework and that it had nothing to do with Severus.

Quickly he packed his bag properly and took out his two transfigurations homeworks. Which one should he hand in? The old one was more detailed and better written. He had had time to do the necessary research then. The new one had been scribbled down hastily using Millicent's essay as a concept. (He had returned it to the girl afterwards claiming that he'd found it on the floor in the common room. She must have dropped it.)

The old one was definitely better but he had clutched it so tightly during the confrontation with Blaise that it was all crumpled up. He straightened it out as much as possible.

He'd turn both essays in and explain the situation to McGonagall. And he'd do it in front of the whole class! That would of course mean to incriminate Blaise in front of a teacher, but it would prove to his classmates how angry he was about his stolen homework and it would make it difficult for Blaise to turn the other Slytherins against him. Let the Gryffindors think what they would. They didn't have a very high opinion of Slytherin loyalty anyway.

 

Professor Binns was probably the only teacher, aside from Trellawney, who hadn't been at breakfast and therefore didn't know about Severus' disappearance.

He was glad to see that the door to his classroom had been left open for him for once and began his lesson in a good mood.

When he read out the register he noticed that Severus was missing, but assumed that he was simply late.

When Severus still hadn't arrived after ten minutes he asked the class where he was, but they didn't seem to know. So he turned back to his lesson.

The pupils were very quiet today. There was no shouting or fighting to disturb his lesson. The kids even whispered less then they usually did.

Binns didn't notice how the pupil's eyes often wandered to the empty chair in the back where Severus usually sat. He was just happy that they were so quiet.

 

Flittwick reacted very differently. He never even read out the register.

"Do any of you have an idea where Severus is?" he asked instead of his usual greeting.

Draco suddenly felt worried. If Flitwick noticed that Severus was missing without even checking the register, that meant that he had been expecting it. The teachers were obviously worried about Severus. But if even the teachers didn't know where he was ...

When nobody answered Flitwick proceeded to ask each Slytherin individually.

They all insisted that they had no idea where Severus might be and Blaise, Gregory, Pansy and a few others made it clear that they couldn't care less.

Draco noticed that Flitwick seemed almost hurt by their remarks. That was a new point to ponder. He had always assumed that Snape and the other teachers didn't really get along any more then Slytherin did with the other houses, but right now it seemed as if this teacher actually cared about Severus being friendless. Dumbledore had made it clear that he liked Severus and McGonagall had shown him some surprising kindness at some times as well. And then there was Filch who had actually protected him from the other Slytherins at some occasions.

Could it be that Snape wasn't as bad as he seemed on the outside once you got to know him? The Hogwarts staff had known him many years.

But if Snape wasn't as bad as he seemed at first, wouldn't the same be likely to be true for Severus as well? They were the same person after all.

Flitwick even asked a few Ravenclaws, but they had no more an idea where Severus could be then the Slytherins did.

With a sigh he returned to teaching charms, but they could all see that his heart wasn't in it today. The lesson seemed to stretch impossibly long for all participants.

 

They were already halfway through a rather boring transfigurations lesson with a very nervous seeming Professor McGonagall. Blaise had finished turning his flowerpot into a rabbit and was now trying to get Vincent's attention without attracting McGonagall's as well.

He had spent the last two hours before transfigurations convincing Gregory that Draco was a traitor and needed to be punished. Who would have thought that stupid Gregory would have such stubborn loyalty? Well, Blaise had finally convinced him and now it was Vincent's time.

McGonagall finally stopped pacing the classroom staring at everything and nothing and turned her attention towards their homeworks.

Blaise gently poked Vincent's shoulder with his wand. - No reaction.

Blaise poked harder. - Vincent still didn't seem to feel it.

Blaise hit him over the head. Hard. - Vincent turned.

"What's up?" he asked. "I'm kind of busy. My bunny keeps hopping away."

"Forget the stupid rabbit!" hissed Blaise. "We've got a bigger problem."

"Problem? What kind of problem?"

"Draco and Severus." whispered Blaise.

"Did they fight again?" asked Vincent confused. "I didn't even see the little rat today. Let's just beat him up when he turns up again. OK?"

"They didn't fight, Vince. This is much more serious. Draco has be..."

"Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall's voice cut him off suddenly. "Where is your homework?"

"Well, you see, I have to explain that a bit." Draco said getting up and walking towards the teacher's desk with two rolls of parchment in his hands.

"Explain what?" said McGonagall sharply. "I'm listening."

So was the whole class. Several rabbits had hopped away unnoticed. The Gryffindors were smiling with glee thinking that Draco was in trouble. The Slytherins were wondering what was going on and slightly worried. Only Blaise was completely confused. He knew that Draco had written a new essay and that he had his original one back. Why hadn't he just handed one of them in?

Draco smiled innocently at McGonagall. He could look just as cute as Severus when he wanted to. He just hadn't thought it was good for his bad boy image until he had seen how it worked for the other boy.

"Well, you see I had to write it twice, because Blaise stole my first one and I only got it back this morning and now I don't know which one to hand in. The first one was all crumpled up and ugly when I finally got it back, but I had to rush the second without sufficient time for proper research so I think the first is better."

The Slytherins turned to stare at Blaise.

"YOU stole his homework?" asked Vincent incredulously. "I thought it was Severus? What did you want to do with it?"

Blaise stared at Draco. What was he doing? Why was he telling a teacher? He had to know that he'd be branded as a traitor for that.

"Show them to me." McGonagall demanded.

Draco handed her the two parchments. McGonagall eyed the crumpled one dubiously.

"It's all Blaise's fault!" accused Draco trying out Severus' cute pout.

It seemed to work for McGonagall turned her attention towards Blaise.

"Mr. Zabini? Did you steal your friend's homework?"

"We are not friends!" announced Draco. "Not anymore!"

Blaise stared at the floor. He wasn't a very good liar. At least not when he had to come up with a fast lie. He nodded defeatedly. Maybe if he showed sufficient regret...

"And why did you do that? What did you hope to gain from it?" McGonagall clearly didn't understand what anyone might do with somebody else's homework.

"I ... I ..." stuttered Blaise. If he told the truth he'd be in real trouble. It was quite obvious that McGonagall liked Severus and she was worried about him right now.

"I caught him trying to smuggle it into Severus' bag." Draco explained as if he didn't care much about the why. "He was going to blame it on Severus to start another fight between us. Just for fun. And I had to write the whole essay over again!"

"Is that true Mr. Zabini?" asked McGonagall seething. "Did you steal Mr. Malfoy's essay only to blame Severus for it?!"

"N..no." claimed Blaise knowing how obvious his lie was.

"Then why did you steal it?"

Blaise stared at the floor. He needed a plausible explanation fast, but he couldn't think of anything at all.

McGonagall waited for almost a minute for an answer, but none came. The whole class was staring at Blaise in incredulous silence.

"Come to me after class to arrange your detention Mr. Zabini." McGonagall decided picking up one of the runaway bunnies. "Whose rabbit is this? It's feet are still made of clay!"

"Then I think it must be mine, Professor." announced Neville grinning sheepishly. "I wasn't quite done when it hopped away."

McGonagall handed the struggling rabbit over to Neville with a small smile.

"You have five minutes to complete the transformation." she reminded him.

All over the room pupils began frantic searches for lost rabbits. Blaise seemed forgotten, but he knew that was not the case. He could hear Gregory and Vincent argue over Draco's right to betray Blaise after what he had done. The Slytherins were obviously split over that issue, but they all agreed that Blaise had wronged Draco.

With a deep sigh he dropped back into his chair staring blankly ahead for the rest of the lesson. His rabbit had gotten away too, but he didn't care. The other Slytherins would never follow him after this. But who should lead them if Draco turned away from them now?

 

Finally it was time for lunch break and Draco dashed off towards the great hall. The first lesson after lunch would be flying, which he didn't have to take because he was on the Quiddich team. He'd decided to hurry with lunch and then spend the time until DADA looking for Severus. Maybe he was in the library. That was where he usually went when he had some free time on his hands.

Draco had nearly finished his hasty meal when the headmaster appeared at the Slytherin table unexpectedly. Albus Dumbledore stopped behind Severus' empty chair and looked at the boys curiously.

"I need your help." he said suddenly.

They looked at each other unsure who should speak for the group. Gregory didn't qualify, Vincent knew he wouldn't be accepted by either Draco or Blaise, Blaise knew that after the scene in transfigurations his authority would no doubt be challenged, too and Draco didn't really want to get involved in anything that might keep him from his plan of looking for Severus.

"Help with what?" Draco finally asked when none of the others spoke.

"With finding Severus." began Dumbledore.  
v That got Draco's interest, but the other three groaned.

"We don't want to find him. We're glad he's not around." explained Blaise.

"Even if he might be in danger?" Dumbledore asked him calmly fixing him with an unusually grave look.

"In danger?" asked Draco. "Why would he be in danger? Where is he?"

"I don't know where he is. That's why I need you to help me." sighed Dumbledore and Draco could see the worry in his eyes. "I had to give him some bad news this morning. He didn't take them too well and ran off. Nobody I've asked so far has seen him since then and I fear he might have run away."

"He's an adult inside, Sir." said Draco gently. "He can take care of himself."

"He hasn't been acting like an adult lately." argued Dumbledore. "We have no way of knowing how that potion influenced his mind, but it most certainly did. Judging from his current behaviour I wonder if I didn't overestimate his age when I put him into fifth year. He is not mature enough to survive out there on his own. Especially not if Voldemort is after him as I suspect he might be."

"Voldemort?" asked Draco surprised. "Why would You-Know-Who be after Severus? He's just a boy."

"Yes, but Voldemort would like to get his fingers on the adult and he isn't likely to let such a little detail as a youth potion stop him." Albus didn't dare tell these kids of his fear that Voldemort might be interested in studding the effects of the potion. They all came from death eater families after all. "I need to know if you've seen him or where he usually goes when he wants to be alone. Any ideas where he might be?"

"He spends a lot of time in the library." said Draco.

"I already checked the library, the potions classroom and office, Mr. Filch's office, all Slytherin dorms and all of the dungeons." Dumbledore informed him at once. "Any other ideas? ... Please?"

"Not really." said Draco feeling very disappointed. He hadn't known himself how sure he had been that he'd find Severus in the library until now. "But we promise to inform you immediately in case he shows up."

"Thank you." Dumbledore said simply, but the smile that accompanied the words told Draco more clearly then words could ever say how much Dumbledore really meant it.

And Draco caught himself smiling back. What was he doing? Trying to reassure the enemy? Why did it suddenly mean so much to him what Dumbledore thought and how he felt? Dumbledore was just an old fool. How could Draco feel that strange urge to make him feel proud?

Draco tried to shake the feeling off, but it returned every time.

Dumbledore walked to the front of the hall and announced to the startled pupils that Severus had disappeared and that there would be no lessons this afternoon to give the teachers time to thoroughly search the castle.

The prefects immediately offered their assistance and most of the other pupils helped as well.

Draco was surprised to see how many Gryffindors volunteered to help. He himself and his gang excepting Blaise helped as well and soon they had searched the entire castle from tower roofs down to the deepest dungeons.

Mr. Filch, Harry Potter and the Weasley twins assured Dumbledore that they had searched every last secret passage as well, but Severus still hadn't been found.

They then proceeded to search the grounds outside and Hagrid was sent to Hogsmede to inform the villagers that a Hogwarts student had gone missing and give them Severus' description.

Still Severus couldn't be found. They had searched the entire grounds and come up empty and as the sun began to set Hagrid returned to report that he had personally talked to every single inhabitant of Hogsmeade and nobody had seen a lonely boy anywhere.

Dumbledore finally sent the kids back to the school to have dinner while he conjured some sandwiches for the teachers and led them off to start searching the forbidden forest.

 

Draco stared unhappily at his dinner plate. He had been so sure that they'd find Severus somewhere in the castle. Why would he have run away? He had nowhere to go. Hogwarts was the only home he had.

'Severus ought to be sitting here annoying all of us right now.' he thought listlessly shoving around a potato. 'Greenie would love those. If Severus were here the hedgehog would be sitting on his plate right now sniffing and smacking and enjoying the potatoes.'

Had anyone thought to feed Greenie at all? No, he didn't think they had. The poor animal hadn't had anything to eat all day.

Draco quickly rolled some of his potatoes into a napkin, jumped up and headed for the door.

"Hey Draco, where are you going?" Gregory called after him, but Draco didn't react.

Vincent and Blaise looked up from their plates when they heard Gregory's shout and saw Draco leave the great hall without even looking back.

"Aren't you going to go after him?" Vincent asked Blaise surprised when he turned back to his food without comment.

"No."

"Why not?" asked Gregory. "You usually do."

"Because Draco decided he doesn't want to be my friend anymore. He'd rather hang out with Severus." growled Blaise.

"Because he's angry with you for stealing his homework." translated Vincent. "He hates Severus just as much as we do."

"If you're so sure of that, why don't you go after him instead of me?" suggested Blaise grinning nastily.

Vincent looked down at his half full plate, over at the door and then back at his plate. "Cause I'm too hungry." he decided and returned to his meal.

"What about you, Gregory?" Blaise grinned. "Want to go after our little traitor? See what he's up to?"

"Mmhmmph?" Gregory answered through his full mouth still stuffing in more food at the same time.

"I take it that means no." interpreted Blaise happy about his small victory.

Draco might have convinced them of his loyalty for now, but they'd still desert him out of pure laziness and if he played his cards wisely he might be able to turn them against him yet.

 

Draco arrived in the bathroom slightly out of breath. He had run the entire way from the great hall to the Slytherin common room at top speed as if he could have made up for the hedgehog's two forgotten meals by delivering dinner especially fast.

He dropped onto his knees beside the cage and spread out the napkin in front of Greenie.

"Here, my little friend, I've brought you something to eat." he explained unnecessarily as Greenie was already busily digging in. "I'm so sorry I forgot to feed you before."

Draco sat back trying to catch his breath and watching the hedgehog eat. He ought to return to the great hall and finish his own dinner, but somehow he didn't feel hungry not knowing where Severus was and what might have happened to him. And maybe Greenie was feeling lonely too?

He decided to stay a bit longer and keep the hedgehog company. If he missed dinner he could still eat the rest of his sweets later.

Greenie snarled and sniffed with joy while eating. Draco smiled. What a noisy little fellow.

But wait a minute! Hadn't that last 'sniff' come from somewhere behind him? No he had to be wrong. Greenie was right there in front of him, after all.

But then it came again. A sniffing sound from somewhere behind him.

Draco turned and saw nothing but the shower cabins.

Then he heard the sound again. It didn't even sound like Greenie's curious little sniffs. It sounded more like a sob.

Draco slowly got up. This time he was sure. The sound had come from the last cabin. The one that was no longer used, because there hadn't been any water coming out of it for longer at least then Draco had been at Hogwarts.

Why was the curtain drawn shut now? It was usually left open and ignored.

"Severus?" Draco asked softly.

There was no reply. Draco gently pulled the curtain back a bit and peered in.

"Hey, Severus. Are you all right?"

Severus still didn't answer, but that wasn't really necessary as he was obviously not all right. He was curled up in the back comer of the cabin crying.

Draco stood there for a moment not knowing what to do. He'd never tried to comfort anybody before. Maybe he ought to run and get a teacher? But they were all in the forbidden forest. Well except for Hagrid who had been too tired from his excursion to Hogsmeade and had returned to the castle to watch the children. But could he expect Hagrid to handle this situation? No way.

He could of course go and get the head boy, but the head boy was a Gryffindor. He couldn't let a Gryffindor into the Slytherin common room. Severus wouldn't want that either. And if he did go to get anyone he'd have to leave Severus alone. That somehow didn't seem like a good idea at the moment.

He tried to remember what his parents had done when he had cried. That wasn't easy, because he hadn't cried in front of anybody since he had been very little and even then he hadn't done it very often.

So what had his father done. .... Oh, right, hit him. ... That didn't seem to be a good idea either.

Then he remembered how his mother had once found him crying in his room after his father had hit him. He must have been very, very little then, because he could barely remember it, but his mother had hugged him and told him that everything would be all right and he had clutched his teddy tightly. That had felt good.

But Severus seemed a bit too old to want to be hugged and he didn't even have a teddy. That reminded Draco of the night after their fight when he had taken his teddy to bed with him and Severus had taken Greenie.

That was it! Severus would feel better if he had Greenie in his arms.

Draco quickly turned and grabbed Greenie out of his cage. The hedgehog protested slightly. He wasn't done with the potatoes yet. But Draco ignored him. He slipped into the shower crouched down in front of Severus and gently pushed the hedgehog into his arms.

Severus looked up at him tears running down his face and sniffed. Greenie sniffed too.

Draco dug his handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to Severus. Then he leaned back against the wall and waited.

Severus blew his nose a few times, then he looked up again.

"Draco?"

"Here, Sir." Draco grinned.

Severus smiled slightly through his tears.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hey, that's our bathroom. I'm allowed in here, you know."

This time the smile was a little bigger and it lasted a moment longer. Draco smiled back.

"Were you looking for me?" Severus asked incredulously.

"Well, actually right now I was feeding Greenie. But yes before that I was looking for you. Together with half the school." Draco tilted his head to one side and gave Severus an appraising look. "Just where were you hiding all this time?"

"I was right here. What do you mean all this time? What time is it?"

"You were here in the shower all the time ever since you talked with Dumbledore?"

"Yes. I needed to be alone for a while and nobody ever comes here. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. We just thought we had searched everywhere. And to answer your earlier question: It's dinnertime. Want some food?"

Severus shook his head.

"I had no idea I'd been in here that long. Guess some people are a little worried. Right?"

"A little? Try worried sick. They're all in the forbidden forest thinking you ran away and were eaten by werewolves."

"It isn't the full moon tonight." remarked Severus drying his tears with his sleeve.

"Well, something ate you anyway." grinned Draco.

Severus smiled back no longer crying.

Somehow that made Draco feel good, as if he'd achieved something really special. Even getting Harry Potter detention didn't feel as good as this.

"I still think we ought to go up there and eat something. And maybe tell them that they can stop looking." he suggested.

Severus nodded slightly, but didn't get up.

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"They can't turn me back."

"What? But that potion ... It was just some stupid accident. How could something Neville concocted be so difficult to repair?"

For a moment it looked as if Severus was going to cry again.

"It's not difficult to throw some ingredients together and get some sort of reaction. It's achieving an exact predefined result that's the problem. And turning me back into an adult is a result they can't get."

"Well, that's great!" exclaimed Draco suddenly surprising even himself.

"It is?" asked Severus so confused he even forgot about starting to cry again.

"Yes, it is! Now, we can grow up together. We're gonna rule this school, be worse then the Weasley twins. We're gonna drive all the teachers mad. And we can draw pictures together. I can teach you how to draw dragons. I'm really good at drawing dragons. And I sometimes write songs too. We could do all kinds of things, have lots of fun."

Severus stood up totally surprised.

"You'd want that?"

"Why of course I want that."

"I thought you didn't like me? You wanted to get rid of me as fast as possible."

"You're confusing me with Blaise. I just played along a bit, because I didn't want to loose my friends."

"But aren't you gonna loose them now?" asked Severus as he followed Draco out of the shower cabin.

"Don't worry about that. They aren't even real friends. We never really fit together. Maybe you could be my real friend."

"You think so?"

"Maybe. Can't hurt to try." smiled Draco.

Severus smiled too.

"OK, in that case I think I do want something to eat now. Let's see if there's any food left up there. Come on!"

"Um ... Severus."

"What is it? Let's go.

"Maybe you'd better wash your face first." suggested Draco grinning widely. "You don't really want everybody to know you've been crying all day."

"Who? Me? I never cry." Severus grinned back, but did return to wash the tearstains off his face.

 

Still to come: How will Dumbledore react when Severus shows up again? Will the teachers search the forbidden forest all night? How will the Slytherins react to Draco's sudden friendship with Severus? Will Blaise take over? And what use does this fic have for Mary Sue? (No that's not the name of Susan's best friend.)


	12. A Success for Dumbledore

Chapter 12: A Success for Dumbledore

 

The teachers had returned from the forbidden forest because it had soon gotten too dark to see. Now they were sitting unhappily in the great hall thinking about what terrible fate might have befallen Severus. Some of them were pretending to eat, but none really had an appetite.

Even many of the pupils seemed unhappy. Harry Potter looked like he might come up to the teachers' table at any time to ask Dumbledore what they were going to do now. Dumbledore wished he knew.

Only the Slytherins didn't seem all that perturbed by Severus' disappearance. At least some of them didn't.

Gregory, Vincent and Blaise were chatting animatedly not caring in the slightest about the two empty chairs beside them.

'At least Draco seems to really miss him. Maybe he wasn't such a bad choice for a friend after all.' Albus thought. He wondered where the boy was. 'Bet he couldn't eat anything either.'

Suddenly the door opened and Severus and Draco walked in side by side laughing.

The great hall fell dead silent. Everybody was staring at the two boys who didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

The sudden silence in the great hall let even Gregory and Vincent look up. But they couldn't believe what they saw.

Even Blaise didn't believe it. He had suspected that Draco sympathised with Sverus and openly accused him of betraying Slytherin, but he would never have thought that Draco would actually let himself be seen with Severus.

The moment of shock didn't last long however. The teachers began to react. McGonagall, who had taken her post near the Slytherin table either out of habit or to avoid the depressed situation at the head table, was closest and therefore reached Severus first. She pulled him into a tight embrace.

Severus gave a surprised squawk. He would have expected just about any reaction from Minerva McGonagall, but certainly not being hugged.

"Hey!" he protested, but didn't get a chance to say anything more as the other teachers had reached them at a run.

"Oh Severus, you gave us such a scare!" Minerva exclaimed finally letting go of him. "We thought you had run away."

Severus took a breath of relief at being able to breathe again and started to explain when Remus Lupin grabbed him even tighter than McGonagall had.

"Are you all right, partner? I was so worried!"

Severus would have liked to answer, but right now breathing was difficult enough.

'And I thought Draco was exaggerating when he said they were worried sick. They must really have thought me dead.' Severus felt a little guilty about that even if he hadn't intended to frighten them at all. He should have let somebody know where he was.

After a little struggling he managed to wriggle out of Remus' arms and to avoid being 'captured' by either Flitwick or Sprout. Madam Pomfrey nearly caught him though.

He held out his hands to ward them off.

"Stop. Let me breathe. I can't answer your questions if you suffocate me."

The teachers finally stepped back a little to give him some room. That was better. It allowed him to breathe again and Greenie looked more comfortable, too. The little hedgehog was still in his arms and had immediately curled up in fear when McGonagall had started to squeeze them. Now he was cautiously sticking out his tiny green nose, checking if it was safe.

Unfortunately when the teachers stepped back that also allowed the headmaster to squeeze himself through to Severus.

"What did you think you were doing, running away like this?" thundered Dumbledore.

Severus took a frightened step backwards and bumped into Hagrid who immediately put a gigantic reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't ..."

"Just where were you all this time?"

McGonagall gently put one hand on Dumbledore's arm and gave him a very stern look meaning: 'lf you'd stop shouting at him for a moment he'd tell us.'

Albus stopped shouting and fixed Severus with an angry glare instead.

"In the bathroom." answered Severus softly.

"Where?" roared Dumbledore.

"In the bathroom. I was in the bathroom." repeated Severus.

"That's the truth." Draco stepped beside Severus with an haughty side glance at Hagrid. "I found Severus in the bathroom. He didn't run away."

"In the bathroom? Your bathroom in the dorms?" asked Dumbledore not believing his ears. Draco and Severus both nodded in agreement.

"I checked that bathroom!

"Not thoroughly enough I suppose." smirked Draco. "You forgot to check the last shower cabin."

"The shower cabins? I never checked the shower cabins!"

"And you never called for me either." added Severus accusingly. "I'd have heard. I never even knew you were looking for me and now you're accusing me of running away. All I did was skip a few classes. So what. I already knew that stuff anyway. It's not like I missed anything important."

McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Okay, I missed transfigurations, but I'll never learn that anyway. I get by fine without it." admitted Severus.

"And how exactly do you plan on passing your OWLs if you don't learn transfigurations, Severus?" asked McGonagall looking pointedly at the little green hedgehog in Severus' arms.

Severus pulled Greenie tightly to his chest.

"I'm not going to transfigure Greenie! He's my friend!"

"But you are going to have to transfigure something for your OWLs." insisted McGonagall. "And that something just might be a hedgehog. Or it might be a flower pot. Which you missed today."

"I'll teach him." volunteered Draco to everyone's surprise. "You said I did well with that flower pot."

"You did." confirmed McGonagall. "But I still advise you not to miss any more of my lessons Severus. Understood?"

Severus nodded. He had gotten a little pale since Minerva had mentioned the OWLs. He didn't really want to have to go through those again, but he had no choice.

"I don't care if you already know the subjects or not." said Dumbledore sternly. "In the future I expect you to attend all your classes the same as everybody else. Or else you'll get detention."

Severus nodded again.

Albus suddenly pulled him into his arms.

"I'm so glad to have you back!" he exclaimed.

Severus wriggled in his grip helplessly.

"Let go of me, Albus! You're embarrassing me."

Dumbledore reluctantly let go.

"All right, but promise me never to run away again."

"I never did run away."

"Oh yes ... right ... Then promise me never to run away."

"Okay, I promise. Can I go and have dinner now? I haven't eaten all day and I'm a little hungry."

Albus let the two boys go and looked after them shaking his head.

"Severus sure makes one cute boy." remarked Madam Pomfrey smiling.

"Yes," sighed Dumbledore. "If only he weren't that much trouble."

Severus and Draco joined their classmates grinning triumphantly. After all they had just gotten away from a horde of teachers unpunished.

Ice cold stares greeted them at the Slytherin table.

They didn't even seem to notice as they set down and began to eat. The food had gone cold, but that couldn't spoil their good mood either. As hungry as Severus was he could have eaten anything anyway.

"Traitor!" Blaise hissed at Draco just loud enough to be sure that all his dorm mates had heard.

"Grow up, Blaise!" Draco smiled back at him pleasantly.

He didn't care who might hear him or not. Severus was his friend and if the others didn't like that then one friend was good enough for him. Let Blaise lead the gang if he wanted to. He had never been able to be himself around them anyway. Severus, he knew, would be different. And if it was going to be just the two of them that was fine by Draco. One real friend was all he needed, was all he had ever wanted.

Still smiling he turned away from Blaise and held out a piece of meat to Greenie.

"Here little guy, come and get it."

"Sniff!" said Greenie and crawled over to Draco's plate.

Finally he was getting fed! And by two people at once. That was the life!

Vincent stared incredulously at the smiling Draco. Draco never smiled like this. He smirked and sometimes laughed, but Vincent couldn't remember ever seeing that kind of happy smile on his face. That just wasn't normal.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked his friend. "Did you eat something funny?"

"Wrong? Eat something funny?" Draco repeated confused. "No, everything's just fine."

"Then why are you smiling like this?"

"Because I just feel like it. Can't I be happy once in a while?"

"No!" declared Blaise, but Draco simply ignored him and continued to play with Greenie.

"Did you finally get to kiss Ginny?" Gregory asked.

He'd heard that getting the girl one wanted could have all sorts of strange effects on people's moods. And Draco had been after Ginny for quite a while now. He was entitled to feel triumphant if he finally got her.

"No. Still haven't found out how to get her to stop and listen to me without holding her." sighed Draco. "But I'll find a way. Just wait and see."

"Let me handle that." said Severus suddenly. " I'll give you the perfect opportunity to talk to her."

"Really?" exclaimed Draco excitedly. "How?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something when I meet her." grinned Severus. "You gotta adapt to the situation, you know."

"Well, if you didn't get the girl, what are you so happy about?" insisted Vincent.

"I don't know, really. I just feel good. Maybe it's because Severus is back. I really missed him."

Blaise and Vincent exchanged a look.

"Because Severus is back? Why would that make you happy?" asked Gregory still not understanding a thing. "I thought we all hate Severus? That we are agreed to get rid of him as quickly as possible?"

Draco shrugged.

"Not me, Greg. That's Blaise and the girls you're talking about. Me, I like Severus and I want him to stay as long as possible."

Gregory stared at Draco for almost a minute trying to figure out what to do. Deciding his actions was difficult for him, because usually he didn't understand all that was going on around him. That's why he had always followed Draco's lead up until now. He knew that Draco was very clever and that his friends usually approved of whatever Draco did.

Now that had suddenly changed. Blaise clearly did not approve of Draco's decision to make friends with Severus and Gregory didn't know what to do. He didn't like Severus, but he didn't want to loose Draco's guidance either. And he didn't want to fight Severus or Draco. He'd seen enough of the hospital wing over the last few weeks.

He looked to Vincent for help.

"What should we do?" he whispered into his ear.

Vincent looked back at him and shrugged. He didn't know what to do either.

Vincent had a better understanding of what went on around him, but he too usually preferred to follow Draco's lead. Draco was a Malfoy and being on the side of the Malfoys was always a good idea, as his father had thought him. The Malfoys had everything: an old line, lots of money and the favour of Lord Voldemort. On the whole they made perfect allies.

But right now this particular Malfoy was acting strange. First he fell in love with a muggle loving Weasley then he was friendly with Dumbledore and now he suddenly liked Severus? Maybe Blaise was right. Maybe Draco was a traitor. And if he was Vincent wanted nothing more to do with him. But if he wasn't, acting against him would arouse the ire of the Malfoys which was a dangerous thing indeed.

"I don't know." he whispered back. "I'll need some time to think it over.

Gregory sat back in his chair and watched Draco and Severus play with the hedgehog. They really seemed to get along fine. Much better than Gregory and Draco ever had.

So until Vincent had figured out the situation it would be the five of them together, he realised. Even if Blaise and Severus would never get along. Somehow he and Vincent would have to act as buffers between Blaise and Draco and Severus. He only hoped that Vincent would come to a decision soon.

 

 

Draco and Severus spent the rest of the day in the common room doing their transfiguration homework and drawing a big picture of two dragons by a lake.

Actually it was Draco who did most of the homework. Severus just copied it and asked a lot of questions about it. Draco soon concluded that Severus really didn't understand a thing about transfigurations. He did know exactly how to reach the same effect through various potions however and Draco didn't hesitate to work that into their essay. McGonagall would notice at once that this had been a team effort. She couldn't accuse either of them of copying and it was definitely one of the longest and most interesting essays she'd get. So what if she'd have to read it twice.

Draco soon found out that despite the fact that he hadn't shown that particular talent before, Severus did know how to draw dragons and they were both very proud of the first picture they'd drawn together. They decided to stick it on the door of their dorm even though every passing Slytherin sneered at the sight of it. Let them. Severus and Draco liked their picture no matter what the others said about it.

It wasn't really their drawing skills that the others disliked anyway. They didn't approve of art in general. Pansy Parkinson even told Draco that drawing was for Hufflepuffs and that they were through. She was so disgusted that she never even wanted to talk to him again. Draco just smiled at that. He was finally rid of Pansy.

 

 

Albus Dumbledore slipped into the Slytherin common room once more late at night to check if everybody was asleep. As he didn't want to wake anybody he quietly peeked into each dorm only by the soft little light of his wand.

Carefully he checked each door before opening it. Running into Severus' traps twice had sure made him cautious.

And he was especially careful when approaching the fifth years' dorm. He lit out every last inch of floor around the door and was relieved to find no indication of a trap. The door was fully closed which meant that there was no bucket on top of it and there were no ropes visible from the outside. There still might be some on the inside, but if he opened the door slowly and only a very small crack wide he ought to be able to see those before he set off the trap.

Albus grabbed the handle to open the door raising his wand and ... stared into the eyes of two angry dragons.

Startled Albus stepped backwards, slipped and landed with a surprised outcry and a loud thump on the floor.

Muffled sounds could be heard from the inside. Then a soft light became visible under the door and the door opened.

Severus peeked out curiously then opened the door fully to reveal Draco and Vincent standing behind him.

"Why Albus, I didn't even set a trap for you this time." he grinned.

Dumbledore got up slowly finding to his relieve that he wasn't hurt. He glared at Severus angrily and Severus grinned back. Draco grinned too. Vincent stared. Blaise and Gregory showed up still looking half asleep.

"What's going on?" Gregory asked rubbing his eyes.

Dumbledore relit his wand and checked the outside of the door. Draco and Severus followed him around the door.

"What is that doing there?" Albus asked pointing at the dragon picture.

"We drew that." explained Draco.

"It's very decorative, isn't it?" added Severus.

"Decorative?" echoed Dumbledore. "Having dragons on your door?"

"Oh yes." agreed Draco.

"It's stupid." declared Blaise.

Vincent and Gregory said nothing. They thought that drawing pictures was stupid, too, but they didn't really want to say that to Draco. So they just stood there and watched waiting to see what would happen.

"Well, I'm sure it was a lot of work and it is quite a piece of art, but I don't think it's appropriate for this door. It's too frightening."

"But Albus, it's just a piece of parchment. It can't do any harm." protested Severus.

"It gave me quite a start. Anybody passing here unsuspectingly might be frightened."

"Just because you were doesn't mean everybody else has to be too. Most of the boys have already seen it and none of them were scared. Who else is going to come by here?"

"Don't argue with me Severus! Take this picture off and put it somewhere less conspicuous. You could hang it over your bed or something. But if you want to decorate the door please draw something nicer."

"Nicer?" sneered Draco. "What do you expect us to do? Draw flowers and little hearts?"

"They don't have to be hearts, but flowers would be nice."

A disgusted look passed between Severus and Draco.

"Or you could try unicorns or bunnies. Maybe dogs ... "

"Would cats be nice enough?" asked Severus in a suspiciously innocent tone, but Dumbledore didn't notice the sudden gleam in his eyes.

"Oh yes, cats are a very good idea. Draw some cats for your door. And now: Good night! he said pointedly holding the door open for them and shooing them back into their dorm.

"Cats, Severus?" asked Draco as they climbed back into their beds.

"Yes, cats. I just had this beautiful inspiration. We'll draw ourselves.

"Ourselves?"

"As cats."

"Ourselves as cats?" repeated Draco dubiously.

"Catar cats."

Draco couldn't make out Severus' face in the dark, but he could almost see his grin as he said that. An angry panther could look almost as frightening as a dragon. Draco fell asleep trying to imagine what he would look like if he were a huge cat.

 

 

Tuesday morning once again meant double potions with the fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindors for Dumbledore. He still hadn't found a new potions teacher and therefore was forced to make one last attempt at teaching them how to brew a healing potion.

Dumbledore expected the worst, but had decided to give it his best effort.

At first it looked like his fears were to be confirmed. The lesson started with another confrontation between him and Severus over where a certain green hedgehog was to stay during potions class. For a while he feared that Severus would go on strike again, but when Albus told him to work with Draco he calmed down and decided to cooperate.

Remembering the last practical lesson Albus paired Neville with Hermione and just to be safe placed them next to Severus and Draco.

Harry Potter was paired with Seamus Finnegan and Ron Weasley with Dean Thomas. With Lavender Brown and Parvati Pattil placed between those two pairs the level of whispering in the class was noticeably reduced and their concentration assured.

Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were happy to work together though they were working a bit slow and had to ask a lot of questions.

Blaise Zabini volunteered to be paired with Pansy Parkinson, which surprised Dumbledore, but he had been wondering what he should do with Blaise and wasn't going to protest the idea.

Half way through the lesson he discovered that Severus and Draco had secretly taken Greenie out of his cage and were now taking turns feeding him their slugs and beetle eyes.

Albus' first impulse was to get angry, but then he decided to pretend not to see them. Who knew how Severus might react, after all. He didn't want him to sit around sulking again and he seemed quite happy right now.

The other pairs proved surprisingly peaceful as well. Hermione kept Neville in check assigning him the simple tasks like cutting ingredients or stirring the potion to keep him busy and out of trouble.

Gregory and Vincent took up most of Dumbledore's attention as they constantly required assistance. They were however not misbehaving in any way. They just didn't seem to be able to understand Albus' instructions. Dumbledore got used to having to explain everything to them again and again and gave them some extra demonstrations, which seemed to help a lot.

Harry and Ron got along fine with their respective partners and didn't seem to have noticed that they had been separated on purpose.

Lavender and Parvati had an outburst of animosity during which they threw their potion ingredients at each other. They hit several other pupils in the process who declared unanimously that they'd better stop their bombarding or else ... Soon the two girls were once again not talking to each other and the room was blissfully silent.

Blissfully silent except for Blaise and Pansy, who kept whispering and were working even slower then Gregory and Vincent. Those two were obviously up to something though they didn't seem to reach a full agreement over whatever it was. They were inattentive and constantly needed to be reminded to stir their potion.

Albus began to fear that it might boil over as Harry and Ron's had the last time, but luckily Mllicent Bulstrode kept an eye on the pair and sometimes even lent a hand to them.

Five minutes before the end of double potions Albus Dumbledore realised with a start that except for Blaise and Pansy all his students were done. He had done it! He had finally kept the class in check long enough to teach them how to make a healing potion.

He walked through the rows to check their products feeling extremely proud. Sure Snape would have been done with that potion weeks ago, but Albus finally had learned to control this class. In his opinion that was quite an achievement.

Dumbledore stopped at Vincent and Gregory's worktable.

"Something's wrong." complained Gregory.

"The colour isn't quite right." clarified Vincent.

Albus looked at the potion more closely. Indeed it was a slightly darker shade than it should be.

"Too many spider legs." announced a girl's voice behind his right shoulder. "That can be easily fixed."

"Easily but unnecessarily." declared another voice behind his left shoulder. "The potion will work anyway. The effect will be slightly weaker, but it isn't worth the trouble it would be to fix it."

Albus spun around and glared at Hermione and Severus.

"I do not need your help to teach this class." he told them. "Please return to your seats and clean up your tables."

"We already did." Hermione, pointed out nodding towards her worktable.

Indeed most of the students were done with their work and were looking at him expectantly.

"We're bored." pouted Severus.

"Very well. Those of you who have already shown me their potions and cleaned up their tables may leave. Gregory, Vincent. Your potion isn't perfect, but it'll do. You may clean up and leave."

He watched as most of his students grabbed their bags and filed out of the room.

"One moment please, Miss Brown and Miss Pattil."

Lavender and Parvati stopped at the door looking back at him surprised.

"You may have cleaned your worktable, but what about all the ingredients you spilled on the floor? I expect you to clean up that mess you made in your fight."

Lavender and Parvati trotted back dejectedly and began to scrub the floor mumbling something about 'unfair'.

Albus finally ended his round at the table of Blaise and Pansy. By now double potions was officially over and except for Lavender and Parvati who were just finishing the floor all other students had left.

Blaise and Pansy however still weren't done with their potion.

"Professor we only need another ten minutes." begged Pansy when she saw his critical look.

"You don't have another ten minutes. By the time you'll have finished this and cleaned up you'll be at least five minutes late for your next lesson. I'm afraid I can't allow that. Take your cauldron off the fire and hurry with the cleaning. My next class will be arriving in a few minutes."

"But Professor Dumbledore..." started Blaise.

"I'm sorry Mr. Zabini, but you two have failed this assignment. I advise you to be more attentive in the future. You could have completed your task easily if you hadn't talked so much."

"This is all Draco's fault!" hissed Blaise as he picked up the leftover potion ingredients and returned them to the students' cupboard.

 

 

Draco and Severus chose Filch's office to draw their new picture. Severus wanted a chance to see his raven and Draco liked the idea of not having to sit in the common room and be sneered at by everyone passing.

Filch looked up from his work every once in a while and shook his head at the boys, but he didn't comment. Drawing was okay by him since it didn't usually leave a big mess or get too loud and he was happy for Severus that he'd finally found a friend.

He hid a secret smile behind his hand and returned to reconstructing the Weasley files. He was gluing together as much as he could, but as he couldn't repair them by magic he'd have to rewrite most of what the raven had torn up.

"I have to go to Quiddich practice." Draco said suddenly glancing up from the nearly finished picture. "Wanna come?"

Severus made a face at him and shook his head.

"No thanks. I wanted to go see Remus anyway. I'll meet you in the common room afterwards to finish this." He indicated the picture.

Draco sighed and made puppy eyes at Severus.

"Oh, come on. I'll let you ride my broom afterwards and we can go see Lupin together."

Severus looked at his friend and had to grin. The raven had taken an immediate liking to Draco and was currently perched on his shoulder pulling gently at his silverblond hair which was already sticking out in every direction. Ravens were known for their curiosity and particular fondness of everything shiny and Corvus was especially bad in that respect. Severus put that down to his pet's unusual intelligence.

"We wont get the picture done by tonight that way and I'm still afraid of heights."

Draco looked at him blankly and Corvus seized the chance and lifted one leg to grab at another strand of nice, gleaming silverblond hair.

"I already explained I don't like flying." Severus clarified.

"You could still come and watch. ... Ouch! Corvus let go, that hurts!"

Draco pushed the raven off of his shoulder. Corvus gave a protesting squawk and flapped once around the room to land on Draco's other shoulder.

"Sorry, but I really want to talk to Remus. I'll come watch next time. I promise."

Sighing Draco got up and tried to pry the raven off.

"Come on Corvus. I've gotta go. I'll visit you again soon."

The raven finally jumped off onto the table and shook his feathers indignantly.

"Rascal!" he squawked.

Draco jumped and stared at the bird.

"He just renamed you." Severus laughed.

Draco turned to him.

"Your bird talks."

"Of course he does." Severus grinned. "Most tame ravens do."

"Why did he call me that?"

"I don't know how he chooses those names, but once he does he sticks with them. Better get used to it, Rascal."

Draco mumbled something unintelligible, gathered up his stuff and turned to go.

"Well, I'll see you later then."

Severus smiled.

"Next time I'll come with you. Unless you'll want to take Ginny instead."

Draco laughed and dashed off. He was going to be late.

Severus pulled one of his pencils away from Greenie who for some reason kept trying to eat his school things and rolled up the parchment. He stowed everything in his bag carefully before he picked up the hedgehog and said a quick good bye to Corvus and Filch.

As soon as he was gone Mrs Norris appeared from under a bookshelf where she had been hiding from the visitors and turned an accusing glare at the caretaker.

"I apologise, my sweet, but they weren't too noisy, were they? And I kind of like some company every now and then."

Mrs Norris shook one hind leg in disgust and sulked off to search for some mice to take her anger out on.

Filch once again returned to sticking the escapades of the Weasley twins back together.

 

 

(A/N The following scene is dedicated to Al:)

Severus knocked on Remus' door hoping at the same time that he would be in and that he wouldn't. If he wasn't there he could go down to the Quiddich pitch and watch Draco. He hadn't liked to disappoint his friend like that and if he did still come now it would cheer him up.

If Remus was there that would spare him from watching Quiddich which he thought to be unbearably boring. He couldn't understand what others liked so much about the sport.

"Come in!" he heard Remus' voice from inside.

Well, no boring Quiddich. He'd make it up to Draco next time.

Severus opened the door, walked in and stopped immediately in surprise. Remus Lupin was sitting at his desk having tea with ... Harry Potter.

"Hello partner! Want some tea?" Remus greeted him smiling happily.

Harry looked up at Lupin in surprise. 'Partner?' he mouthed.

"No thanks. I didn't want to disturb anything. I can come back later. Didn't know you had a guest." Severus turned to go.

"Severus wait!" shouted Remus quickly. "I'd really like to talk to you. And you're not disturbing anything. Come back in. Please?"

Severus sighed and came back even though he noted that Harry didn't look pleased. He didn't want to disappoint Remus. At least one teacher was still treating him as an equal. That was worth spending some time in the company of Harry Potter.

Remus conjured another chair for Severus and poured him a cup of tea. He tried to unobtrusively start a conversation between the two boys, but failed miserably. Severus and Harry just glowered at each other. It was so much like Severus and James all those years ago.

"This reminds me of how I always tried to get you and James to make up back when we were kids." he said to Severus smiling at the memory. "I always thought that it could work. That you'd be friends if only you gave each other a chance."

"My father would never have made friends with a Slytherin!" exclaimed Harry.

"Oh, but he was friends with me. I was a Slytherin too, you know."

"You! Slytherin?" Harry paled. "No. That can't be."

Remus smiled.

"It was an unusual friendship, but we didn't care much about house rivalry. It did a lot to relieve the tensions between the other students as well. Only Severus and James always insisted on hating each other. I never understood why."

"I don't know why James hated me, but I can tell you why I hated him. But you wouldn't like the answer I think."

Remus looked at Severus curiously. What was that about?

"Why?" he asked, for some reason suddenly feeling nervous about the answer.

"Because of you." Severus said softly. "Because you could have been my only friend, but James and his gang took you away from me when they wouldn't let me join.

"I'm sorry." Remus said. "I never knew you took it so hard. You never seemed to care. I should have turned them down."

"And then what? We'd have been very lonely. I never was very popular. You'd have missed having other friends."

Remus stared into his cup for a while. Yes, he would have missed out on being popular and having lots of fun with all the pranks the Marauders pulled, but Severus wouldn't have been so lonely. It hadn't been right to choose James and his bunch over his only Slytherin friend. But there was nothing he could do about it now. He decided to change the topic.

"I'm teaching a seventh year class the first lesson on Wednesday morning. Think you could come and help me with it?"

"No sorry, I can't." sighed Severus. "I'd love to, but I'd miss transfigurations and Minerva would never forgive me.

"I could explain to her."

"That wouldn't help. Remember how I always used to mess up in her class? I'll fail the OWLs this time if I don't start working seriously."

"Oh come on. How hard can it be? You've done it before." Remus tried to encourage him when he saw how frightened Severus looked.

"I was lucky the first time. And my transfiguration skills haven't improved since. Remember the hedgehog incident?" Severus nodded towards Greenie who was sitting in his cage on Remus' desk watching them.

"But that was a joke. Wasn't it?"

Severus shook his head.

"No, I recreated the whole incident, down to throwing Greenie into Minerva's face. And I didn't do any of it on purpose."

"But Sirius wasn't even there to taunt you."

"No, but Neville was."

Harry was feeling more and more uncomfortable. He hated being in the same room with Severus. The boy was even more devious than the teacher had been. And he was still in shock from the revelation about Remus. One of his father's best friends. A Slytherin!?

He had always thought that all Slytherins were evil. Now he was confused. Remus Lupin was one of the nicest people he had ever met. How could he be a Slytherin? Maybe it was the werewolf? Yes it had to be the werewolf. The werewolf part of Remus was evil and that was why the sorting hat had put him in Slytherin.

But how could he have been friends with Severus Snape? Harry had no problem imagining Severus friendless. He couldn't however imagine him having any friends at all. Well, aside from such people as Lucius Malfoy.

"I always thought Malfoy was your best friend?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.

"Draco? Of course he is. But he wasn't around back then."

"Not Draco. I meant his father." 'Severus is best friends with Draco?' Harry thought surprised. 'And I thought they hated each other.'

"Lucius?" Severus didn't believe his ears. "Lucius is ten years older than me. I admit I admired him a lot back then. Mostly because he was the only adult who ever showed an actual interest in me. I didn't realise why he did of course. He was more like a mentor. I would certainly not say that we ever were friends."

"You're not friends with him now?" asked Harry surprised.

"Friends? He's probably the only person in the world I like less then you, Potter. - Him and Voldemort that is." he added as an afterthought.

"Then why are you always so nice to his son?"

"I already told you. I like Draco. Not his father. Draco."

 

 

Still to come: What happens when Albus sees the new picture? Whose side will Gregory and Vincent be on? And we should finally get around to meeting Mary Sue in the next chapter. And what is Severus going to do about Ginny?


	13. Intruducing Mary Sue

Chapter 13: Intruducing Mary Sue

 

Albus Dumbledore quietly closed the door to the fourth years' dorm. Everyone was asleep in there. Good. Just three more dorms and then he could go to bed himself.

He sighed. It had been a long day. He had tried to find a new potions teacher whenever he wasn't teaching, but everyone he had approached had reacted the same. At first they were very interested. Then they realised that they would have to teach Severus Snape and decided it wasn't such a good idea after all.

He had to find a wizard who was better at potions then Snape. He sighed again. There weren't too many of those out there and they all had very good jobs. Potion masters were rare and the best could choose their jobs at will. If it hadn't been for Snape's shady past Dumbledore doubted that he'd have ever been able to hire somebody as good as that.

So if he couldn't get anybody good enough to dare work with Severus, what could he do? He'd have to find someone who didn't know what to expect, someone who'd never heard of Snape. But where in the world could one find a potions master who hadn't heard of Snape?

Albus stopped a few steps from the fifth years' door and once again carefully lit out every inch of floor. Again the door was closed, no ropes visible.

Albus stepped closer feeling relieved. It seemed Severus hadn't decided to take revenge for his shunned picture after all. Unless of course the trap was on the inside.

Dumbledore took one quick look at where the dragon picture had been. No more dragons.

Instead a huge black panther and an equally large very light coloured cougar were charging out of the door.

Albus took a surprised step backwards once again, but this time managed not to trip. He stared at the picture.

"I thought they were going to draw cats?" he mumbled angrily.

But those were cats if one looked at the matter a little more closely. Just very big, very angry cats. Dumbledore stepped closer once again and regarded the picture in the soft light of his wand.

The animals were both beautifully drawn. The panther seemed almost alive, charging out of the picture, claws extended to tear apart the challenger.

The cougar was just as perfect in his pose, readying for the jump, but somehow it seemed odd. It took Albus a while to figure out why. It was the cat's colour. The fur gleamed in a silver blond shade that was almost white. Maybe it wasn't intended to be a cougar after all? Maybe it was an albino panther? .

Albus looked deep into the cougar's gray eyes. No it couldn't be an albino. Albinos had red eyes. They couldn't have gray ones.

'No adult cat has gray eyes!' he realised with a start.

He checked the eyes of the other cat. They were as black as its fur. Black eyes? Well, if it was very dark the pupils might be open so wide the irises weren't visible anymore. But those of the cougar were.

Albus forcefully pushed the door open and strode into the dorm.

"What is that picture out there?" he demanded of Severus' empty bed. "I thought you promised to draw something nice. "

"We promised to draw cats." said Draco's voice somewhere behind him.

Albus turned to see both Severus and Draco sitting on Draco's bed eating sweets.

"You said it was okay." added Severus and plopped another everyflavour bean into his mouth.

"Panthers?" asked Dumbledore. "You think panthers are nice?"

"They aren't panthers!" protested Draco.

"They're us." explained Severus.

Dumbledore stared at them.

"They're what?"

"They're what we would look like if we were catar." said Draco patiently.

"And you think catar are nice?"

"Don't be racistic, Albus." Severus advised the headmaster. "It's xenophobic reactions like that that drove the poor people to the brink of extinction. Our picture protests that."

Albus stared some more. They had tricked him. If he demanded the picture removed now they'd accuse him of being prejudiced against catar.

"Where did you get all those sweets from?" he demanded instead.

Draco and Severus looked down at the impressive pile of chocolate between them.

"We traded them." explained Draco.

Albus looked at the pile as well. It was quite a lot of sweets.

"Traded what?"

"Homework." grinned Severus. "I'm good at that. As long as it isn't transfiguration."

Albus regarded the chocolates some more. Could he find a reason to confiscate those? They looked delicious.

Suddenly the pile moved. A tiny green nose with a very suspicious looking chocolate stain peeked out of it.

"Sniff!" said Greenie.

Albus carefully picked up the hedgehog.

"Shouldn't little hedgehogs be in bed this late at night?" he asked. "Shouldn't you two be in bed?"

"We are in bed." Severus pointed out grabbing his hedgehog out of Albus' hands.

"Well, shouldn't you be in bed and asleep?"

"Greenie never sleeps at night." said Draco. "Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals."

"But you two aren't hedgehogs." Dumbledore said sternly. "You claim to be catar and catar do sleep at night. Now Severus, put Greenie in his cage! Draco put away the sweets and both of you, go to sleep!"

"In what order exactly do you want us to do those things?"

"Severus!"

Severus pouted.

"We're not tired yet." Draco said making puppy eyes.

"Please." begged Albus. "You might not be tired, but I am. I've got classes tomorrow. I have to find two new teachers and I'm almost asleep on my feet. Please, go to sleep so I can go into my nice, warm, soft, comfortable bed."

Draco and Severus exchanged a look. Severus shrugged.

"You don't think he'd fall asleep in here, do you?" asked Draco.

"Why don't you just go and sleep?" Severus asked Albus.

"Because I have to put you two to bed first. So please, be two nice little kittens and go to bed."

"All right." agreed Severus finally. "But you have to let us keep our picture on the door."

Dumbledore readily agreed to that. He hadn't had any hope of getting them to remove it anyway.

 

 

Wednesday morning's first lesson was as always transfiguration. Severus as always sat in the last row Draco in the first beside Gregory with Vincent and Blaise right behind them.

Minerva McGonagall handed out bricks to change into teacups and then took a quick look at their essays. It seemed everyone had handed in their homework, she noticed with a satisfied smile.

She also noticed that Draco's and Severus' essays appeared to be exactly the same. Well, she had agreed to Draco helping Severus after all. Maybe he'd actually learn something from copying Draco's essays.

She put the essays aside to correct and grade later and took a quick stroll through the room.

Vincent Crabbe and Blaise Zabini hadn't started to work on their bricks yet. She quickly reminded them by knocking on their desk.

Gregory Goyle had somehow managed to turn his brick into a piece of wood. She changed it back for him quietly and put a finger to her lips when he opened his mouth to thank her, because Draco Malfoy was almost done with transforming his brick and she didn't want to disrupt his concentration.

Lavender Brown and Parvati Pattil were quarrelling about something. It seemed Lavender had smiled at Parvati's current boyfriend of the week. Minerva sternly reminded them that the bricks were not intended to be used as weapons.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were working on one brick together both trying to change it at the same time. She decided to ignore them and let them find out that that didn't work on their own.

Hermione Granger was done with her brick and was now watching Neville Longbottom's attempt. Minerva decided not to interrupt. Neville had improved much since last year and was now usually able to complete his transfigurations with only a little coaching from Hermione. Minerva was secretly proud of them both.

Severus Snape was staring angrily at a green brick that apparently refused to change its shape. Minerva sighed softly and sat down beside him. Maybe she could do for Severus what Hermione did for Neville? Only Neville had never been as difficult a case as Severus was. Well, that was what teachers were here for after all.

"Okay Severus, try closing your eyes for a moment and concentrate." she told him.

Severus looked up at her surprised. He had been so engrossed in staring at his uncooperative brick that he hadn't even noticed her approach.

She heard angry whispers from where the other Slytherin boys were sitting and glanced over at them annoyed, but she didn't want to brake off her work with Severus right now.

"Now try to picture the teacup in your mind." she told the boy. "Can you see it clearly?"

Severus nodded.

"Good now picture the brick changing into the teacup. ..."

"Oh really? Well I don't want to sit beside an idiot like you anyway!" Somebody jelled at the other end of the room.

McGonagall looked up in surprise. What was wrong with the Slytherins?

"And who but us would sit beside you?" Gregory shouted back at Draco. "You've got nowhere else to go."

"Just watch me!" shouted Draco picked up his teacup, book and bag and strode over to Severus where he dropped everything onto the table.

"Sorry for disturbing class Professor. Is this seat taken?" he smiled at Severus.

Severus smiled back and removed his bag from the chair.

"No, but I've been looking for someone to keep me company."

The whole class stared at them not believing their eyes. Draco had just walked out on Crabbe and Goyle? That was impossible.

The most surprised of all were Vincent and Gregory themselves. They had only intended to make one last careful attempt to convince Draco to drop his friendship with Severus. They'd never expected him to drop them instead.

Somehow their attempt had turned into a major argument and now it seemed they were stuck with Blaise as their new leader.

"Hey, come on Draco! Come back!" Vincent called through the dead silent classroom. "We didn't mean it like that. We still want to be your friends."

"But I no longer want to be yours." Draco answered calmly. "I'd rather be Severus'."

"So? Who says you can't be both?" Gregory tried to convince him.

"I say." cut in Blaise. "You're either with us or against us Draco. And with us means against the little thief. Make your choice."

"Against you." said Draco as calmly as before. "Severus is a better friend than you guys ever were."

Suddenly the whole class was talking excitedly. The brake up of the Slytherin gang would be the talk of the day Minerva realised. But not in her class!

"Silence!" she ordered. "Mr. Malfoy, you are sure you want to sit here for the rest of the year?"

"Yes, I am." He certainly sounded like he was.

"All right, but you will not be allowed to switch places again."

Draco nodded calmly.

"Does anybody want to take Mr. Malfoy's former seat?" she asked the class intent on getting this settled right there and then.

"I do." announced Vincent.

Nobody seemed surprised except for Blaise who stared at his neighbour wide eyed.

"All right Mr. Crabbe. Take your stuff and move. Does anybody want Mr. Crabbe's seat?"

This time there was no answer which didn't surprise anybody either. None of the Gryffindors would voluntarily sit beside a Slytherin and the Slytherin girls were all very comfortable with their neighbours.

Pansy seemed to consider moving over to Blaise's side for a moment. Since she had broken up with Draco she had shown a slight interest in Blaise, but it couldn't be called a relationship yet and she had no intention of sacrificing her friendship with Millicent over a possible affair with Blaise.

"Nobody? Good. Does anybody wish to sit somewhere else? No? Good, in that case please return your attention to transfiguring your bricks."

 

 

The rest of the week passed without any further big incidents for the Slytherins.

Vincent and Gregory went their own way and discovered that they could indeed manage to survive without the guidance of a more intelligent leader. They remained neutral except for occasions when Severus and Draco played pranks on them. Then they retaliated with half hearted attempts to beat them up which resulted in several black eyes a split lip and nearly another broken nose.

Blaise found himself isolated among the boys and was forced to spend most of his time hanging out with the girls, which delighted Pansy, but caused everybody else to snigger and tease. He was now officially Pansy's boyfriend, but he had lost all chances of ever leading the Slytherins. And he suspected that Pansy was only going with him because Severus had told her off quite forcefully when she had tried to attach herself to him.

Draco got a letter from his father asking for news from Hogwarts to which he responded that there was nothing remarkable going on and nothing had changed during the last two weeks. He knew that his father would be furious when he learned of either his break up with Pansy or with his gang. Maybe he'd even hit him because of his friendship with Severus, but somehow Draco didn't feel all that obliged to keep his father happy anymore. Maybe he was growing up.

Severus was perfectly happy wreaking havoc together with Draco. They let a few firecrackers explode in wastepaper baskets and in the drawers of a few teacher's desks, beat up a few nosy Slytherins from the sixth year and nearly drove Professor Pince mad during ancient runes class. Draco always sat beside him in class now. Greenie seemed to be fine except for his unusual colour which he still didn't seem to mind. Only Ginny managed to elude them and then there were the OWLs looming somewhere on the horizon.

No, nothing remarkable at all.

 

 

Tuesday morning at breakfast a surprise awaited them.

There was a strange woman sitting at the teacher's table.

"Look, do you think that's our new ancient runes teacher?"

Severus eyed her critically. She was very blond with very red lips and very dark eyelids.

"She looks more like she owns a cosmetics shop." he commented dryly.

"Well, she is very beautiful." conceded Draco. "But why would you think she's a shop owner?"

Severus grinned.

"Those looks aren't natural. I bet even her hair colour is false. And that means she's either so ugly she has to use tons of makeup to hide it or she owns a cosmetics shop and has to use up the stuff she can't sell."

Draco thought that over.

"You really think she's ugly?" he asked doubtfully.

"I've got experience, Rascal. Trust me."

Draco still looked doubtful.

"Okay, lets go over and check her out up close. Then you'll see its all makeup."

"Severus, we can't just go over there and ask her who she is!"

"Who said were gonna talk to her?" Severus grinned. "Look she's talking to McGonagall. All we have to do is go up and ask McGonagall something."

"What something?" asked Draco, but Severus was already on his way to the head table.

Draco hurried after his friend. Severus still held Greenie in his arm. Had he forgotten that McGonagall disliked the hedgehog?

Severus calmly walked up to McGonagall and didn't seem to even have noticed the stranger beside her at all. Draco who was right behind him couldn't take his eyes off her, but that fit into his role as he was supposed to only be accompanying his friend.

Severus had been right. The woman was so covered in makeup there was no telling what her face really might look like without it and if one looked at her hair closely one could see the darker colour growing out at the ends.

She eyed the two boys with distinct dislike. No, Draco didn't think she was beautiful up close anymore.

"Professor McGonagall?" asked Severus and Draco wondered if he knew what he was going to ask her at all. "Can I ask you a question?"

McGonagall looked up at him in surprise. Then her eyes flitted over to the 'cosmetics woman' and the hint of a smile crossed her features.

"You're not trying to make me turn back that hedgehog again, are you?" she asked eying Greenie.

"Sniff!" said Greenie haughtily. 'As if I wanted to be turned back! I like being green.'

"No, not directly." answered Severus with an embarrassed smile that McGonagall recognised at once to be fake. "I've been practising the flower pot transfiguration and I actually managed it, but I couldn't turn the rabbit back."

'Well, of course not.' thought Minerva. 'A rabbit is an animal and you can't transfigure animals. I know that.'

"So why don't you ask one of your classmates to turn it back for you?" she asked out loud looking pointedly at Draco.

"Oh, Draco already turned them back, but they're still green, you see. I was wondering if you could explain just how I turn everything I transfigure green and maybe tell me how to undo it?"

The 'cosmetics woman' stared at Severus in surprise. She obviously was intrigued by the problem.

Severus still pretended not to notice she was there, but Greenie noticed her eyes on him and blinked at her. Was that a new friend who would feed him? No, he didn't like that odd smell she had. How many flowers had she eaten to smell like that?

"Honestly Severus, if you don't know how you do that... I have no idea." replied McGonagall calmly. "I have never encountered that kind of problem in any of my other pupils. Wrong transformations, partial transformations and non transformations, but never colour changes. I suggest you get another flowerpot and this time concentrate on not turning it green in the first place."

"But what of the first two? Mr. Filch needs them back and I don't think he wants them green."

"You could offer to turn all his flowerpots green." suggested Dumbledore with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "That would be an interesting new decoration."

"I think we're gonna have to paint Filch's flowerpots now." Severus commented as he and Draco returned to the Slytherin table. "What do you think of the stranger now?"

"You're right about her being all covered in makeup, but there's no telling if she's ugly underneath all that. At least I couldn't find any skin on her at all."

"Why would she bother with the mask if she were beautiful underneath?"

"Because she's hiding her true identity?" suggested Draco. "She might be a death eater trying to infiltrate Hogwarts.

"You think she's a friend of your Daddy?" Severus asked surprised.

"No, I don't really think she's a death eater. ... And don't call him Daddy! He doesn't like that."

"Not? Well, what do you call him, then?"

"Father."

Severus gave him an odd look.

"He insists." Draco defended himself.

Severus shook his head at that, but decided not to comment. He didn't want to hurt the relationship between Draco and his father. Well, maybe he did, but he'd get in trouble if he was too obvious about it.

"So what do you think she's doing here?"

"Selling cosmetics?" suggested Draco.

"At Hogwarts?"

"Giving the girls fashion advice?"

"Why would she?"

"Well, maybe the girls asked for it. You know, like we once had a duelling club. And none of the teachers wanted to do it so Dumbledore hired her."

"I certainly hope Albus has better taste than that. Imagine all our girls running around looking like that."

"On Pansy it might be an improvement." stated Draco grinning.

"I prefer ugly Pansy to ugly Pansy in war paint, thank you."

Everybody seemed to be discussing the 'cosmetics woman' during breakfast. A lot of pupils even turned their chairs to be better able to stare at her. Gregory and Vincent like many other boys were smitten with her beauty. Severus tried to talk them out of it and managed to duck away just in time when Vincent threw his bowl of cornflakes at him. Filch arrived just in time to clean it up and stop them from starting another food fight. The 'cosmetics woman' watched the scene with a little to much interest for Severus' peace of mind and clear distaste on her face.

Severus decided to let Gregory and Vincent think whatever they liked about the 'cosmetics woman' after the incident. Blaise thankfully wasn't with them. He usually sat beside Pansy at meals these days and for some reason Susan had taken his vacant chair. She was curious abut the 'cosmetics woman' too, but definitely didn't care much about her looks and still being shy she didn't talk much about it either.

Severus and Draco soon lost interest in the stranger and returned their attention to breakfast and feeding Greenie.

 

 

The Slytherins walked down to potions class like every Tuesday morning and took the same seats they had had last week. They'd liked the pairings and hoped that Dumbledore would allow them to stay partnered like that for the rest of term.

To their surprise it wasn't Albus Dumbledore who entered the class five minutes later. It was the 'cosmetics woman'. She glanced through the room and a look of distaste crossed her face. She was obviously planning to redecorate. Severus shot her a warning look which she didn't notice.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins all stared at her in surprise.

"Good morning. I am the new potions teacher and head of Slytherin house." she announced.

Severus and Draco exchanged a horrified look. No! That couldn't be. Dumbledore couldn't have done this.

"My name is Professor Blackwell. Nice girls may call me Mary Sue."

"What about nice boys?" asked Seamus Finnigan.

"There is no such thing as nice boys. Only people I like may call me by my first name and I only like nice people. Which means that all boys will address me as Professor Blackwell."

Again the whole class stared at her in surprise. Hermione leaned over to Harry and whispered something into his ear. Unluckily Mary Sue saw that. A girl whispering to a boy? Impossible.

"You!" she called pointing to Hermione, "What is your name?"

"I'm Hermione Granger, Professor."

"Well Hermione, what was it you just said to that boy there?"

"Nothing, Professor."

"I just saw you whisper something to that boy. Please tell the class what it was." Mary Sue looked almost as threatening as the dragons in Draco and Severus' first picture.

Hermione however stood her ground. Looking defiantly up at the new teacher she answered:

"I told him that I don't think I'm going to like you."

"I don't think I'm going to like you either." stated Mary Sue. "You are definitely not a nice girl. I would prefer you to call me Professor Blackwell."

"Gladly." said Hermione.

Mary Sue shot her another angry glance and returned to her introduction.

"I spent the last twenty years teaching chemistry at a muggle school in Australia and had no contact with the magical world. So I might not be up to date on local politics, but I assure you that I know everything there is to know about children and teaching."

"Nobody knows everything about children or teaching." Severus growled into Draco's ear.

His opinion of Mary Sue had definitely not improved since breakfast.

"I recently had to return to England after the death of my great aunt who left me as her only living relative all of her worldly possessions. I originally planned on returning to Australia as soon as I had taken care of affairs here, but then I was offered this job and now it looks as if I am going to stay for a while. "

"Don't count on it." commented Severus under his breath.

"Your headmaster has told me that Gryffindor and Slytherin don't get along and that your class is especially bad in that respect. He believes that you are to be kept strictly apart and gave me precise instructions on how to pair you. However I do not believe that that is the right way to improve the situation. Therefore I am going to pair you according to my own ideas.

Mary Sue pulled out the register and studied it for a moment.

"The first pair is: Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Finnegan. Please take that worktable over there."

Seamus and Vincent glared at each other as they hesitantly followed Mary Sue's instructions.

"Mr. Goyle and Mr. Longbottom. That table in the back."

"Umm ... I don't think that's a good idea, Professor." warned Harry Potter. "Those two are way too clumsy to work together."

"Which house are you in?" Mary Sue demanded.

"Gryffindor." replied Harry wondering what that had to do with anything.

"Twenty points off Gryffindor for doubting my decision and another ten for speaking out of turn!"

The class fell dead silent. Thirty points lost for warning her that Gregory and Neville didn't make a good team? Well, she'd have to suffer the consequences.

"Mr. Malfoy and Mr. ..." Mary Sue hesitated. The next name on her list was Harry Potter. Albus Dumbledore had warned her that Potter and Malfoy were the biggest rivals in the school. Trouble was sure to follow whenever they met. Pairing those two might go a tiny step too far. She looked down to the end of the list of Gryffindor boys. "... Weasley. That table. "

"Oh no! Not him." groaned Draco, but remembering her reaction to Harry's protest he obeyed anyway.

"Mr. Snape and Mr. Potter. Over there." announced Mary Sue unperturbed.

Whispers broke out everywhere in the class. Draco and Ron? Severus and Harry? Was Mary Sue choosing the worst possible pairs on purpose? Or didn't she know anything at all?

"Mr. Zabini and Mr. Thomas." Mary Sue continued pointing at another table.

"Lavender and Millicent." she continued in a much friendlier tone as she got to the girls.

"Pansy and Granger. I'm sorry Pansy. You can choose your partner next year."

She continued pairing the kids while the boys glared at their partners. Severus finally decided that exchanging hostile looks wasn't worth it and let out Greenie. The hedgehog sniffed around happily unaware of the tension in the room. Wasn't this the place with all the delicious bugs to eat?

Harry glanced at the little green hedgehog then back at Severus.

"You're not planning on blowing something up again, are you?" he asked hopefully.

"Actually I am."

"What? With her around?!" He pointed towards the teacher's desk where Mary Sue was just signing the register.

"I am going to be the worst pupil she's ever had." Severus grinned. "Don't you know that potions is my worst subject?"

"Potions is what'?"

"I'm gonna play stupid and blow everything up. Bet I'll have her running back to Australia and her muggles in no time."

Harry considered this. He definitely didn't like Mary Sue. She was just as bad as Snape. No, she was worse. Snape had never forced them to work with their worst enemies.

"Okay, I'll help you. I want rid of her too."

"In that case I suggest we fight as much as possible."

"What?"

"Well, it did work on Albus, didn't it."

Harry remembered the despair on Dumbledore's face after their first potions lesson with him.

"Oh, well then: Get away from that jar!" Harry shouted at Severus. "Those are my ground dragons teeth! Use your own, stupid Slytherin!"

"No I wont!" Severus screamed back. "We're using my cauldron, so it's your ingredients!"

"I'll give you my ingredients!" Harry answered just as loudly and threw the jar in Severus' direction.

To everybody else it must have seemed like he had been trying to hit Severus and had missed him, but in truth the jar landed right on target when it hit Gregory's shoulder.

Gregory wasted no time to join the fight which he believed to be for real and Ron rushed to Harry's aid. Vincent came to assist Gregory, Draco to help Severus. Seamus and Dean decided to help their outnumbered housemates ...

Then Hermione joined in and the girls entered the fight. Only Biaise and Neville stayed out of it. Neville because he was afraid, Blaise because he didn't want anything to do with something Severus had started. He was even feeling betrayed by the fact that the girls had joined in.

Mary Sue was furious. she deducted fifty points from each house and gave them an additional homework. An essay of at least seven rolls of parchment to be handed in next week.

Severus just grinned triumphantly.

Next they had to clean up the mess they had made.

Mary Sue discovered Greenie among the debris chewing away happily at some spilt ingredients.

"What is that?" she asked pointing at the hedgehog with an utterly disgusted look on her face.

"That's my hedgehog." Severus stated calmly.

"What is it doing here?"

Severus looked down at the happy little creature.

"He's helping us clean up." he stated.

Mary Sue glared some more, but didn't protest. After all the hedgehog really was cleaning the table.

When everybody was finally seated once again she demanded their homework.

"That parchment is much too yellow." she informed Vincent when he handed in his. "I won't accept something as ugly as this. As your punishment you will rewrite it."

Harry's essay was too short, Neville's too crumpled, Ron's was written with the wrong kind of ink, Gregory's had too many mistakes, Dean's writing was too messy and Draco's essay was too long, Seamus had forgotten his in his dorm. They all had to write it again. (Seamus was to hand in two.)

Then she turned to Severus.

"And where is your homework?"

"I didn't do it." Severus grinned up at her.

"Why not?" Mary Sue asked perplex.

"I never do potions homework."

Draco turned and regarded Severus closely. Severus had written his own essay right after he'd finished Draco's. Why was he pretending not to have done it now?"

"Why not?" Mary Sue repeated even more confused than Draco.

"Because I don't see why I should. Potions is the most boring subject in the whole school and I don't see whatever I should need it for in my later life."

Mary Sue of course didn't understand why the whole class burst out laughing at this statement. She assigned Severus another extra homework and told him that he still had to hand in his essay next lesson.

Severus shrugged and grinned. He could have done it easily and written in facts Mary Sue had likely never heard of, but he wasn't going to. He was going to be a mixture of all the worst pupils he'd ever taught.

Hermione watched Severus closely. She was too clever to believe that that had just been a joke. Careful not to be seen she slipped a long roll of parchment back into her bag.

Soon Mary Sue turned to her.

"Where is your homework Granger?"

"I didn't have any."

"Oh really? And why would one pupil be exempted from doing homework?"

"Because I was in the hospital wing last week so I didn't know what the homework was."

"But weren't you my partner last week?" asked Neville confused.

"No." Hermione answered calmly. "That was the week before."

"Really? I could have sworn it was last week."

"And why didn't you ask one of your classmates, if you didn't know what the homework was?" demanded Mary Sue.

"Why should I?" Hermione asked back. "I'm not really fond of doing potions homework if I can somehow avoid it."

"Huh?" commented Gregory. "You're not?"

Again the whole class burst out laughing.

"Silence!" commanded Mary Sue. "Granger you'd better ask somebody for that homework assignment, because I expect you to hand it in next week along with that additional essay I gave you and the new homework I'll announce at the end of this lesson."

"Well, she has a full ten minutes till then left." whispered Severus into Harry's ear. "I wonder if we could come up with another incident..."

At that moment Ron flung himself at Draco with an angry shout. Mary Sue raced over to separate them and spent the rest of the lesson rambling on about what disgusting things boys were. Then she assigned them an essay about some potion they had never heard of.

"Huh? How do you spell that?" Harry asked confused.

Severus wrote it down for him just to prove that he knew what it was. It wouldn't help the Gryffindors much anyway. Mary Sue should have explained where to find some references first. This way nobody would find anything. Unless of course Severus helped them.

Draco rejoined him on the way out.

"Do you know that potion?" he asked sounding slightly desperate.

"Of course I do."

Draco smiled relieved.

"Good. That's an awful lot of homework she gave us."

"Yep, but I'll do it for you if you want me to."

"Thanks. Mary Sue's even worse than she looks."

"Yes, and she's our head of house too."

"Oh no! Don't remind me! We've got to get rid of her."

"I'm working on that." grinned Severus.

"Really? How?"

"By being as unbearable as I possibly can. I'll start fights, blow things up, not do my homework ..."

"So that's why you didn't hand in your essay!"

"Exactly! We've got to make her hate this job."

"Oh ... In that case you don't have to do my homework, after all. It gives us more time to practise transfiguration. I think we ought to try the hedgehog transfiguration now. Good thing we already have a hedgehog."

"NO! I'm not going to transfigure Greenie!" shouted Severus shocked.

"Severus, I can always turn him back. I can't change his colour, but he's already green so it won't matter."

"No! I wont turn Greenie into an ashtray. It's like killing him even if it is just temporary."

"Killing him? Oh come on! He'll be an ashtray, not dead."

"Have you ever seen a living ashtray? They're dead objects. Greenie would be dead!"

"All right, all right, calm down. I'll get us another hedgehog to practice on."

Severus still looked doubtful as if he didn't think turning hedgehogs into ashtrays was right even if the hedgehog wasn't your pet. Draco decided that a change of topic was in order.

"Do you think Dumbledore will let you teach potions again once we get rid of Mary Sue?"

"Not while I'm still a child. I'm too irresponsible."

"You could be responsible if you wanted to, couldn't you?" Draco asked with a sidelong glance at his friend.

"Maybe." Severus didn't sound sure at all. "But that's not the point. The point is that Albus doesn't think I can do it."

"Oh." Draco paused for a while thinking rapidly. "Are you sure there's no way to turn you back?"

"No, I'm not. They didn't let me do any research on that."

"So if you found a way to turn yourself back, they'd have to let you teach again. Right?"

"Right."

"But I don't want you turned back!"

"I know, Draco, but it's what I ought to be. I don't belong here even if I really love hanging out with you. I ought to be back in my office getting ready for my next lesson and taking care of my Slytherins. All of them, not just you."

Draco just shook his head in response. He didn't want to hear that.

 

 

Still to come: What will happen when Mary Sue actually gets around to teaching? Will Draco agree to helping Severus in his search for the antidote? Will anybody like Mary Sue? And what is Severus going to do about Ginny? Oh and Draco brings Severus another hedgehog.


	14. The Most Beautiful Girl I've Ever Met

Chapter 14: The Most Beautiful Girl I've Ever Met

 

After lunch Draco and Severus went to the library to practice transfigurations. (They occasionally needed books to help them.)

To Severus' horror Draco showed him a box that held another ordinary little hedgehog.

"Susan had a free period before lunch and caught him for us." he explained.

Severus stared at the wild hedgehog. The hedgehog blinked up at him looking a little scared.

"He looks just as cute as Greenie. Look he even twinkles the same way."

"Sniff!" commented the wild little hedgehog.

"Oh, come on Severus! Pull out your wand and turn him into an ashtray!"

Severus continued to stare at the hedgehog.

"I'm gonna turn him green too!"

"So what. Just turn him into a green ashtray. McGonagall will be satisfied with that."

"I can't." whispered Severus. "He's so cute. And he could almost be Greenie."

"Look here, I'll show you." Draco turned the hedgehog into an ashtray and presented it to Severus.

"No! Please turn him back." begged Severus almost crying.

Draco sighed and turned the hedgehog back. This would be more difficult than he had thought. Severus obviously considered turning a hedgehog into an ashtray murder. He'd have to get him over that somehow.

"Look! He's entirely unharmed. He probably never noticed that anything happened to him at all!"

"He was dead." insisted Severus.

At that moment the door opened and somebody walked in.

"Draco! It's Ginny." whispered Severus excitedly. "And she's headed for the potions section. I bet she's here because of that homework assignment Mary Sue gave them. This is our chance."

"The fourth year already had potions?" Draco asked surprised.

"Yes, third lesson on Tuesday. Right after ours. And I had several come to me for help already. It seems they didn't understand a thing she taught them."

"You mean she's a bad teacher too?"

"Looks like it. Pretend to do something. I'll go get Ginny to come here. Just don't jump at her the moment she sits down. Pretend to be busy. I'll get you involved into our conversation somehow. Take it slow, okay."

"What am I to do with the hedgehog?"

"Put him into Greenie's cage. They can keep each other company for a while."

Greenie looked up expectantly when the door to his cage was opened, but no big hand appeared to pick him out and the door was shut again. They had obviously put something in instead of taking him out. That something was most likely food. Probably potatoes.

Greenie started sniffing around curiously. Where had they put the potatoes?

He smelled something nice. Something very nice. But it definitely wasn't a potato.

Greenie followed his nose and found something round and spiky. Yes, that was the nice smelling thing.

He sniffed at it more closely. What exactly was that? He really loved the way it smelled, but it didn't seem to be edible at all.

The round spiky thing moved. One end opened up and a tiny black nose peeked out.

"Sniff?" said Greenie curious.

"Sniff?" said the tiny black nose.

GIRL! That's what it was!

"Sniff!" said Greenie. 'You smell very beautiful.'

"Sniff." answered the girl. 'You're so charming.'

"Sniff, sniff!" 'I think I know where there's still a potato lying around. Want to join me for a little snack?'

Yes, she wanted to. And how she wanted to! And after that she had some suggestions of her own ...

Severus meanwhile had walked over to the potions section and was hiding behind a shelf watching Ginny.

She was leafing through an advanced potions book that had to be quite a bit over the head of a normal fourth year and looking slightly desperate. With a moan she threw it shut and bent her head down to rest her forehead against the cover.

Severus smiled and walked onto the stage.

"Hello Weasley. Got a problem with that?" he asked casually as he walked past her.

"I don't understand a word that's in there." Ginny sighed.

Severus turned and walked over to her desk. He gently took the book away from her and pretended to check for it's title.

"No wonder you can't. I wouldn't give this to anyone under sixth year. It's not written to be understood by someone on your level."

"But I can't find anything to help me with my potions homework. Mary Sue said to come to her if I needed any help, but ... I really can't stand her." Ginny complained.

Severus smiled. He was actually beginning to like that girl.

"Ah yes, that potions homework. I already had to explain it to all your Slytherin classmates. Why don't you come over to our table and I'll show you the right books. I can even tell you what pages to look on and explain anything you might not understand."

Ginny's eyes lit up with hope.

"You'd really do that? Even though I'm a Gryffindor?"

"I wouldn't wish a visit in Mary Sue's office on my worst enemy." Severus explained. "And you'd probably come back to me anyway if her teaching skills are as bad as they appear to be."

Ginny accepted that explanation and agreed to come with him.

Severus quickly grabbed a few books from the shelf and led her back to where Draco was sitting, pretending to work on his charms homework.

Ginny sat down beside Severus away from Draco and they began looking through some simple potions books. Ginny had to admit that she never would have found any of this if it hadn't been for Severus' help. She soon started her essay occasionally asking Severus for further information.

On one of those occasions Severus suggested to get another book that had a really good explanation. He'd be right back.

So Ginny put aside her quill and waited, but Severus seemed to have been held up. Ginny got bored. She looked around a bit, but the library was silent as always and nearly empty. The only other person in sight was Draco who seemed to have finished his essay and was now doing something with coloured pencils on a piece of parchment. She couldn't see what. From time to time he looked up at her shortly, but never said a word.

Ginny leaned closer curious. Draco glanced up again. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. Ginny to her surprise found herself smiling back.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Oh, nothing." he answered blushing.

Draco Malfoy blushing? Ginny decided she had to find out what could make Draco Malfoy blush.

She got up and quietly walked over to peek over his shoulder. One look at the parchment and Ginny stood gaping.

"That's beautiful." she gasped once she could speak again.

"Of course it's beautiful." stated Draco. "It's you."

Ginny stared some more at the beautiful red haired girl in the picture. Yes, on a closer look she did look a little like her, but she'd never considered herself beautiful before. How had Draco managed to make her look like that.

"This is much more beautiful than me."

"Oh no, you are much more beautiful than this."

This time it was Ginny who blushed.

"I had no idea you were such an artist." she said after she'd recovered a little from the shock.

"I'm not. I just like to draw sometimes. It's just a stupid hobby of mine."

"Stupid?! This isn't stupid at all. It's real art. You ought to do this professionally."

"A professional artist? Me?" Draco laughed. "My father would kill me."

"Oh." said Ginny sobered by the thought of Lucius Malfoy looming over them. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I guess it wouldn't be good for the family image."

"No, not good at all." agreed Draco.

"I'd have loved to have one of your pictures in my room. Guess I couldn't have afforded them anyway." she sighed.

Draco looked at her then back at the picture. It was nearly done. With a few quick movements he finished the picture and grabbed his quill.

Ginny couldn't see what he was writing. It was none of her business anyway. Quietly she returned to her seat to wait for Severus.

But when Draco had finished writing he calmly held the parchment out to her.

"Here, you can put this in your room if you really like it so much."

Ginny took the picture with trembling hands. There on the bottom Draco had written: From Draco to Ginny, the most beautiful girl I ever met.

Ginny blushed so much that she thought her face had to be redder than her hair.

"Oh Draco, this is the most beautiful gift I've ever gotten."

"Not as beautiful as you." Draco insisted. "I'm not all that good at drawing people. You ought to see my dragon pictures sometime."

"Oh I'd love to! I love dragons."

"So do I. I was named after them after all."

"You've gotta come and visit my brother Charlie with me sometime. He studies wild dragons in Romania. He has all sorts of pictures and books and even some live dragons in big cages. You've just got to see those."

"Really? Oh, I've got to see that. Do you really think I could?"

"Of course! I'll just ask him to invite both of us in the summer. Maybe we'll even get to see one of the wild dragons." ...

"So did you ask her to go to Hogsmede with you?" Severus asked Draco much later after Ginny had finished her essay.

"No." grinned Draco.

"Then what are you grinning about?" asked Severus with a sigh.

He couldn't believe how clumsy Draco was at chatting up girls.

"I didn't ask her out, but I promised to show her my pictures and she invited me to visit her older brother in Romania in the summer."

"She invited you along on her summer holiday? Wow, that girl really likes you."

"You think so? I sure hope you're right. I knew she was beautiful before today, but I had no idea how nice she is and how interesting to talk to. She's totally different than Pansy, you know. She likes dragons and horses and quiddich and all sorts of things. Pansy always just talked about dresses and makeup and other girls' boyfriends."

Severus sighed under his breath and resigned to hearing Ginny's praises sung all through care for magical creatures and herbology.

 

 

Severus had to keep Greenie in his cage during both afternoon classes. He might have been in danger from Hagrid's pets and Professor Spout was still valiantly defending her earthworms.

It wasn't until he took his pet out at dinner that he remembered the second little hedgehog. What to do about the little animal?

He put both hedgehogs onto the table to feed. He couldn't let his guest starve after all.

Draco looked at the second hedgehog in surprise.

"Oh, I totally forgot about him. We've got to try and turn him into an ashtray again after dinner."

"No." said Severus decidedly. "I can't do that to him. I'll just take him back into the wild."

"But McGonagall practically said that we'll have to transfigure hedgehogs for our OWLs."

"Well, in that case I'll fail. I can't transfigure a hedgehog. Lets just hope that she'll change her mind and make us transfigure something else."

"All right, I'll ask Susan where she found him and we can take him back tomorrow."

"Why not ask her right now? She has to be here any moment. Then we could bring him home today."

"We can't. I've got quiddich practice and you promised to watch this time." Draco grinned. "I'll get you onto a broom yet."

"No, you wont. I'm not getting on a broom unless I absolutely have to. We could let him go after quiddich practice though."

"It'll be dark by then. I'm not going near the forbidden forest after dark."

"Okay. But we take him home right after lunch tomorrow."

Draco readily agreed to that and they didn't talk about the hedgehog again until it was time to go to bed.

"Where do we put the other hedgehog for the night?" Severus asked when he opened the cage to put Greenie to bed. "I bet he's just as noisy as Greenie."

Draco looked at the two hedgehogs who were sitting on a table in the common room sniffing each other's faces as if they were kissing.

"Into Greenie's cage of course."

"But it's Greenie's!"

"So? They seem to get along perfectly fine. Greenie's probably glad he can keep his friend around for another night."

Severus regarded the two little animals closely for a while. Draco was right. They seemed to like each other and Professor McGonagall had kept all her hedgehogs in one box.

But had she kept them in there overnight?

"Are you sure they wont hurt each other?"

"Severus, hedgehogs aren't aggressive. They'll be fine."

Severus finally agreed and gently sat the two hedgehogs into Greenie's cage and carried it into the bathroom.

"Sniff?" said Greenie as soon as they were alone. 'Darling? Please unroll now.'

"Sniff?" answered the little girl hedgehog poking her nose out. 'Are you sure it's safe?'

"Sniff!" 'Of course it is.'

"Sniff, sniff." 'You are so brave."

"Sniff." 'And you are the most beautiful girl I've ever met.'

 

 

"Hey Draco, if we run and get the hedgehogs now we could let our guest go and still be in arithmancy on time." suggested Severus at the end of their transfiguration lesson.

"Sorry, we can't. I have something I want to talk to McGonagall about."

"But, can't you ask her some other time?"

"No, I'd better do this now. You just go on ahead and get the hedgehogs. We can both have one sniffing around in our books during arithmancy. Imagine Vector's face."

Severus grinned and walked up to the teacher's desk to hand in his assignment.

"A green baseball cap, Severus? Didn't I say loud and clearly: a wizard's hat? You know, like the one on your head?"

Severus shrugged.

"It decided, it wanted to be a cap."

"Severus, it was a piece of paper. It can't decide anything."

"Are you sure about that? I could have sworn it had a will of it's own."

Minerva just waved him on his way. Maybe Draco could sort this out. She wasn't in the mood to deal with such time consuming problems as teaching Severus transfiguration. Her next class would arrive in a few minutes and Severus had another class to attend at the same time.

The pupils walked out chatting happily. Minerva turned to their homeworks. Maybe she could grade one of those before the next class came in and handed in even more work.

She looked up again in surprise when she realised that somebody was standing in front of her desk.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"Professor, I wanted to talk to you." Draco seemed a little uneasy as if he didn't know how to say what he wanted to say.

"Talk to me? What about?"

"About Severus."

"Ah, you want to give up trying to help him to learn transfigurations? I wont blame you. I sometimes feel like giving up on him myself."

"Oh no! Severus is my friend and I'm gonna help him as much as I can. I was just gonna ask you not to make him transfigure a hedgehog. You know how much he loves Greenie, don't you?"

"Yes, though I don't understand what he sees in that stinging little monster. I probably should have turned it back when he first asked me to. Leaving it with him was obviously a bad idea."

"But it happened and now Sverus has developed a special affinity towards hedgehogs. He also considers turning a living animal into a dead object killing."

McGonagall looked at him incredulously.

"Honest, he said so very clearly. Transfiguring a hedgehog is like committing murder to him. He loves those little guys. Please, don't make him transfigure a hedgehog."

Considers it murder? That explained a lot of things. There was no way one could do magic if one didn't really want to do it. So if Severus thought that transfiguring animals was immoral it was no wonder he couldn't do it.

"All right, Mr. Malfoy. I'll think about that. But there are certain things that I'm supposed to teach you, if Severus likes them or not."

"Just don't make him transfigure a hedgehog for the OWLs, please. He'd rather fail than even try it."

Minerva nodded at him curtly and sent him after his classmates.

Who'd have thought that Severus Snape of all people had such a soft heart? She tried to reconcile that new information with the dark mark that had once been on Severus' arm. How could someone as gentle as that ever have been a death eater? A ruthless killer? Even if he had been a spy for Dumbledore she couldn't really imagine it.

 

 

After lunch Draco and Severus took the cage with the two little hedgehogs and carried it outside. Susan met them at the edge of the forbidden forest to show them the exact spot where she had caught the wild hedgehog.

Neither Severus nor Draco knew if it was important where one released a hedgehog, but they wanted to be sure that the little creature wasn't harmed.

Thus the little hedgehog lady was set down right where Susan had originally found her. Then the children walked away.

The hedgehog remained curled up for a while waiting for Greenie to tell her it was okay. When she finally realised that it wouldn't happen she slowly poked out her nose and sniffed the air.

There was no smell of danger, but none of Greenie either. She unrolled and began to sniff around on the forest floor searching for Greenie.

After a while of this she had to admit to herself that Greenie obviously wasn't there. She continued to occasionally sniff the air around her hoping to find him again for about two days after that. Then she got over it.

It wasn't that she'd forgotten him. She'd think back to the time she'd spent with him with fond memories for the rest of her life, but hedgehog affairs never last long and it wasn't unnatural for her to loose her lover this soon after she'd found him. Hedgehogs are solitary animals and not made for lasting relationships.

Greenie too searched his cage several times in hopes of finding his 'darling' again, but then decided that she must have wandered off as it is hedgehog custom. He was slightly disappointed that she'd gone so soon, but he was convinced that he'd meet either her or another beautiful smelling hedgehog girl sometime. And that was the way it was supposed to be.

 

 

The second lesson on Thursday was potions once again. Spending another hour with Mary Sue! None of the boys were thrilled about that and even most of the girls didn't look too happy.

Millicent and Pansy were the exceptions among the Slytherins, Lavender and Parvati among the Gryffindors. All four had donned nearly as much make up as the teacher herself.

"Help!" Draco had squeaked when they had met Pansy at breakfast.

"I told you ugly Pansy is better than ugly Pansy in war paint." Severus had reminded him.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins met in the entrance hall on their way to potions. The Slytherins were just coming back in after Herbology, where Professor Sprout had rolled her eyes at the sight of Pansy and Millicent and asked them not to smear any of their lipstick onto her poor plants and the Gryffindors were coming down from the charms classroom, where Professor Flitwick was resting in his chair after nearly suffering a heart attack at the sight of Lavender and Parvati.

Hermione stopped dead in the middle of the stairs.

"Don't tell me I have to work with that!" she exclaimed pointing at Pansy.

"Try on a little make up yourself and you might look like something, too, little toad." Pansy shot back.

Lavender and Parvati might secretly agree with that, but they wouldn't let a Slytherin insult a fellow Gryffindor. Most of the Slytherin girls understood Hermione's reaction only too well, but they felt obliged to support their leader.

Severus and Draco walked away from the argument still hearing the girls and the Gryffindors shriek outrage behind them long after they had reached the dungeon. Filch would likely break this fight up very soon.

Vincent grabbed Gregory's shoulder and shook his head at him when he wanted to launch himself at Harry.

"None of our business Greg." he explained. "We stick up for each other just like Draco and Severus do. Let Blaise and the girls do whatever they like."

Gregory nodded his agreement, even though he didn't understand why one should avoid a fight that wasn't against Severus and followed Vincent down towards the dungeon. Vincent was his leader. Vincent knew what was best.

 

 

Another shock awaited Severus and Draco when they entered what Severus had once considered his home.

Mary Sue had obviously spent the last two days redecorating.

She had painted the potions classroom bright pink and hung white curtains with red hearts on them around the doors. The tables and chairs were now painted in light blue and the floor ad ceiling had taken on a darker shade of pink as if the room were blushing at the sight of it's new looks. At least the two blackboards were still black. Well, the permanently installed one was still protected by the glittersoap after all.

Draco was first to regain his power of speech.

"There aren't even windows in here. Why'd she hang up curtains?"

He glanced over to Severus who was trembling all over. Draco gently put a hand on his shoulder and led him to his seat.

"I don't want to see what she did to the office." stated Severus flatly.

Draco squeezed his shoulder supportively and took out Greenie. Seeing the hedgehog let a little colour return to Severus' face and he was breathing normally once again.

"I think we ought to use this chance to add a little colour to the room. You wouldn't happen to have some green or red everglow handy, would you?"

Severus grinned at that, jumped up and raced over to the student's supplies cupboard which was now light blue with pink hearts on the doors. While he was quickly mixing up something Gregory and Vincent arrived.

Gregory immediately turned around and walked out again.

"Come on Vince, wrong door."

The two walked out again only to return a few seconds later to stare at the classroom.

"What happened?"

"Mary Sue?" Draco suggested.

"Do any of you know a good assassin?" asked Vincent trying to find his seat with his hands over his eyes to block the view.

He ran into Gregory and they landed in a heap on the floor.

"Face it Vincent! You can't spend an entire potions lesson with your eyes closed." Draco informed him sneering.

Vincent and Gregory picked themselves up from the floor and went to their assigned places. This times with their eyes open though.

Severus came back and handed Draco a vial containing a clear liquid.

"Pour into any boiling substance." he instructed. "It's not everglow, but a nice colour effect nevertheless."

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'll just wait and see what she gives us to work with. I'm sure I can make it blow up somehow."

All four boys grinned evilly.

"Can we do something too?" asked Vincent excitedly.

"You could start a fight with your partner if the chance presents itself." suggested Draco.

"And you Gregory, can help by not telling Neville when he makes a mistake. That's sure to be a disaster." added Severus.

The rest of the class arrived soon after that looking slightly ruffled. Obviously Filch hadn't arrived on time after all. Maybe he'd been busy in some far off part of the castle and hadn't heard them.

Mary Sue glided in in full war paint and wearing an orange robe. Yes, an orange robe in a pink room! It hurt to look at her.

"Good morning children." she said smiling at the girls and turned to stick a long piece of parchment onto the old blackboard. "Since this blackboard for some reason seems to be ruined I have decided to use it as a sort of message board. This list of all your names will be used to keep track of the bad points I'll give you for misbehaving. Whoever reaches ten points on this list has to do an additional homework."

Several heads turned in Severus' direction. He was after all the school record holder for collecting bad points.

Severus winked back at Draco. Hermione saw it too and made her decision.

"Now," continued Mary Sue. "I believe there was only one homework due today, but if any of you want to hand one of their other assignments in early they will receive a good point, which cancels a bad point should they receive one later."

Millicent and Lavender immediately jumped at the chance and handed in their essays for the next week. They received a good point each and a lot of praise from Mary Sue.

Then she demanded the due essays. Again most of them were to messy or written on the wrong kind of paper or with the wrong kind of ink. Neville's was too short, Gregory's again had too many mistakes.

"I didn't do it." drawled Draco when she got to him.

"Why not?"

"My house elf broke his arm and I didn't get a new secretary to replace him yet."

Mary Sue stared. Then she went over to her list.

"Congratulations Malfoy, you have just earned the very first bad point I give in this school."

"Why thank you, Professor. What an honour."

"And another one for being insolent!"

She drew another point on her list and then walked back into the class and asked Severus for his homework.

Severus waited calmly until she had crossed the entire room and was standing right in front of him.

"I already told you that I don't do potions homework in the last lesson." he smiled up at her. "I don't see what it's good for."

Mary Sue had to walk back to the front to add another two bad points to her list. Then she collected the girl's essays.

"Granger where is your homework?"

"I forgot, Professor." said Hermione pretending to look scared.

"And why did you forget?"

"Well, there was this exciting quiddich game in our house, you see and over that I forgot everything else."

The class roared with laughter. Hermione Granger forgetting to do her homework over a quiddich game?

Mary Sue drew another bad point.

"This will teach all of you to always do your homework soon enough." she declared proudly. "Now, today we will be making a sleeping potion."

Vincent decided that this was a good moment to act and punched Seamus in the face so hard that his nose started bleeding.

Mary Sue raged for a while, gave Vincent his first bad point and told Seamus to sit down and put a wet cloth onto his neck. The pureblood wizards and witches watched that treatment with fascination.

"It's a muggle method to stop the bleeding." Harry whispered when he saw Severus' wide eyes.

"She could stop it with one simple spell." Severus whispered back.

"I think being used to teaching muggles that hasn't occurred to her."

While they waited for Seamus' nose to stop bleeding Mary Sue explained how to make the potion. Soon they set to work.

Draco waited only long enough to be sure that the water in his cauldron was boiling and that Mary Sue and Ron weren't looking. Then he poured his secret weapon in.

The cauldron emitted a strange hissing noise and the water started blinking in neon green. Mary Sue hurried over to them at once.

"What did you two do?" she asked nervously.

"Nothing." stated Ron honestly. "We only set the water to boil."

"Maybe there was a rest of some other potion still in there." Draco suggested innocently.

Mary Sue bent over the cauldron to peer inside. A bright green streak shot out and landed right in her face.

Mary Sue's head turned neon green. She stumbled backwards and nearly fell over Ron's bag. More and more streaks shot out and left large green stains on the pink ceiling and walls. One of them even hit one of the curtains.

That seemed to satisfy the cauldron. It stopped blinking and returned to bubbling softly over the fire.

"Whose cauldron was that?" demanded Mary Sue.

"Mine." admitted Draco.

"Clean it out as best possible. No, better take it to the kitchen after the lesson and have the house elves clean it. Right now put it away and start again using Weasley's cauldron."

"Yes, Professor."

Mary Sue rushed off into her office to wash her face and redo her makeup. She returned ten minutes later once again in full colours and with a shawl slung around her head to hide her green hair.

Severus grinned. This was an unexpected bonus. Mary Sue would soon discover that hair dye could not cover up the green potion. It would have gone off easily if her hair hadn't been dyed, but now it had bonded with the dye and the only way to get rid of it was to cut it off.

Mary Sue resumed teaching as if nothing had happened. Well, she didn't know about her hair yet.

Suddenly Pansy screamed. Mary Sue ran over to discover that her and Hermione's potion had turned into some kind of acid and was melting down the cauldron with a loud hiss. Luckily this time Mary Sue did think of using her magic and managed to get rid of the acid just in time to prevent it from eating a hole through the table as well.

She ordered Pansy and Hermione to pack up their stuff and watch the others work as it was too late to start over again.

Harry flashed Hermione a quick thumbs up while Mary Sue's back was still turned. Hermione grinned proudly. Her first real prank had been quite a success. Mary Sue was nearly screaming.

Harry turned back to Severus.

"Our time!" he announced. "Have you figured out what we're going to do yet?"

Severus nodded and continued stirring the potion with one hand while he handed Harry a single cat's hair with the other.

"Throw this in on my signal and get ready to duck under the table."

Harry noticed that Severus already had stored Greenie and his cage safely away. Whatever he was planning was going to be big.

Severus nodded at Harry. Harry threw the hair into the potion and dove under the table colliding head on with Severus who had ducked in from the other side.

BOOM!

Harry and Severus grinned at each other rubbing their heads. Mary Sue raced over and saw to her relive that they were both still alive. Half the room had been blackened by the explosion and a hole had been blown into the wall into the unused classroom next door.

"Getting started on returning this room to it's rightful colour." Severus whispered as they climbed out under the blackened table to face Mary Sue.

"What did you two do?!" Mary Sue shrieked despairing.

"I have no idea." answered Severus. "I don't know a thing about potions."

Again Mary Sue wondered what the class was laughing about. She turned her attention to Harry.

"We only did what you told us to. Don't you think this is a little to dangerous to do in school? I mean, we could have been killed." Harry did his best to look scared.

Mary Sue stared at Harry, at the cauldron, at the damaged wall and then at her watch.

"All right everybody. Clean up! You've got five minutes before the end of this lesson. Homework: An essay about this sleeping potion, six rolls of parchment."

A loud snore answered her from behind. Mary Sue spun around and found Gregory and Neville fast asleep on their table.

"Looks like their potion actually worked." commented Hermione. "They tested it on themselves."

Severus grinned at Draco and Harry.

"They'll be sleeping for hours."

As they walked out of potions class that day Draco turned to Severus with a sad smile.

"All right, so how do we go about turning you back?"

Severus smiled back encouragingly. He knew how hard it was for Draco to make this offer. Somehow it was even hard for Severus himself. He had hated being a child the first time and it had been even worse to go back to it, but now that he had a friend everything suddenly seemed so different. He had really enjoyed those last two weeks with Draco. Never before in his life had he felt this happy, but he had to go back. He had to safe his pupils from Mary Sue.

"The best place to start is the library." he explained. "We need to break into the forbidden section."

"But it is protected by strong wards!"

"That's no problem. I know how to disarm those. It requires some time and concentration, but I'll handle it. The problem is that Dobby sleeps on the librarians desk right beside the alarm paperweight. I got caught because of him once. I can't risk it again."

"So you want me to handle the house elf? I'm good at that."

"You can't just go kick him around the room like you do at home!" hissed Severus angrily. "No what we need is for Dobby to stay asleep and he's a very light sleeper."

 

 

Still to come: Draco and Severus attempt to break into the library, another potions lesson with Mary Sue, a talk about death eaters, Dumbledore has a surprise for Severus, and so do Draco and a bunch of Gryffindors


	15. Albus goes skating

Chapter 15: Albus goes skating

 

Draco and Severus made their move that same night. They quietly sneaked up to the library hearts pounding, but nothing moved anywhere in the castle. It seemed that even Mrs Norris was asleep.

Or maybe they were all waiting for them in the library having somehow found out about their plan?

"Sniff!" said Greenie when they finally reached the library door.

Both boys started. Draco glared at the hedgehog angrily.

"Did you have to bring the hedgehog?" he complained. "He's gonna betray us."

"Greenie would never do that! He's our friend."

"It just happens he can't understand the situation. Or did you train him to be silent on command?"

Severus looked down at the excited hedgehog in his arms. He hadn't gotten the impression that hedgehogs could be trained at all so far.

"Shhh, Greenie!" he whispered to his little friend. "You have to be very quiet now. We don't want to loose Slytherin any more points. Remember what happened when Albus caught us in there?"

Greenie didn't respond.

"See he understood me. He's gonna be quiet now."

"Yeah, sure."

"Good boy, Greenie. Don't make a sound."

"Sniff!"

Draco shot Severus an angry glance but did not comment. It was too late anyway. They'd gotten too far to take the hedgehog back now.

"Okay. Ready?" Severus asked pulling out his wand.

Draco quickly grabbed his own wand and went through the spell Severus had taught him once again. It wasn't an easy one, but the spell required to open the door without setting off the alarms was even more difficult and Draco knew he wouldn't have been up to that.

He nodded at Severus to signal he was ready.

Severus cast the complicated spell with ease, while Draco prepared his own spell.

The door swung open and seconds later the sleeping spell hit the librarian's desk. Draco held his breath until a loud snore told them that he had indeed hit Dobby and the spell had been correct.

The boys slipped into the dark library and tiptoed over to the forbidden section.

"Are you sure you know how to undo the wards?" Draco asked nervously.

"I set them often enough. It'll just take a little time to do it correctly."

"You were older then."

"That's just my body."

"Oh, yeah? Dumbledore is beginning to doubt that."

Severus glanced at Draco angrily.

"I assure you my skills have not suffered."

"You sure proved that in transfigurations."

"Have you ever seen me do any transfigurations before that incident?"

"Er ... no."

"See, now you know why."

"Well, I don't remember you throwing firecrackers, setting mousetraps for students or carrying around green hedgehogs as an adult."

"Doesn't mean I never felt like it. And I never had a green hedgehog to carry around before. Now just sit down and shut up so I can concentrate on the spells."

Draco sighed and sat down. For a moment he wished he could go back to bed. Severus didn't really need him anymore after all.

About ten minutes later Severus announced that he was done and Draco crept over to the bookshelves again curious.

There were several books here that had familiar titles. Yes, he was sure he'd seen some of them in his father's library.

Severus started pulling out books and stuffing them into his bag. He didn't waste much time looking through the titles. He seemed to know exactly which books he wanted and where they stood.

"Can I touch them?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Of course you can. I already did and the alarm didn't go off so what are you afraid of?"

"Well, I thought maybe your spell worked only for you." explained Draco and pulled out an interesting looking book.

It was on torture methods used by dark wizards. Very descriptive and with pictures. Draco stared.

Severus finished packing and came over to his side.

"Okay, I'm done. Lets go."

Draco didn't react. Severus put a hand on his shoulder and felt him shake.

"Draco?"

Still no reaction. Severus gently took the book out of his hands, took one look at it and closed it quickly.

"Maybe I shouldn't have let you touch them. They're kept under these spells for a reason. It's just a book though. Nobody here would actually do something like that. Come on." he steered Draco back towards the door and reactivated the wards by casting a quick spell back over his shoulder.

Draco said nothing during their walk back to the dorm and when they got there he dug his teddy out of his trunk and curled up in his bed looking like a small frightened child. Severus was right of course. Nobody at Hogwarts would do something like that, but Draco was convinced that his father would. Yes, his father would do such things and maybe even worse then that one picture he had seen.

Severus felt terribly guilty. He knew very well why the students weren't allowed access to those books. He shouldn't have let Draco play around with them. He was an adult and he'd seen a lot of things. He could handle what was in those books and he knew how to use them. But Draco was just a boy. A very sensitive one at that even if he didn't show it most of the time. He should have watched out for him. Maybe given him one of the more harmless books. Asked him to look for certain titles ...

He sat down on the bed beside Draco talking soothingly and stroking his hair until he finally fell asleep.

 

 

During lunch break on Friday Draco and Severus started checking the books they'd 'borrowed' for all references on youth or aging potions. Severus chose the books he handed Draco very carefully this time and didn't even allow him to peek over his shoulder at the books he'd chosen to keep to himself.

Draco felt a little like sulking, but then he remembered how Severus had sat with him for almost the whole night.

'He must think that I can't take it, that I'm week and he's trying to protect me.' he realised. Maybe Severus was right. Draco still trembled slightly whenever he remembered that picture.

Severus looked up when Draco shuddered again.

"Would you rather I do this alone? I can check them a lot faster than you anyway."

"Oh really? You think you're so much better?" Draco did his best to sound tough, but the result sounded more like insulted even to him.

"No, but I've read them before, you know. I know what chapters to look in."

"You'll still be faster if I help you."

"True, but I don't want to scare you. I can manage without you if I have to."

"I'm never scared!"

"Yep, and I never cry."

Draco smiled. Severus was giving him a chance to retreat without losing face. He'd just accept it if Draco said this was too much for him. But it wasn't!

"I'm okay. I haven't seen anything in any of these books yet. It was just that one picture. Or just that particular book. I only start shaking when I think of it. These books are okay. Really."

"I'm still not giving you anything with pictures in it." Severus declared calmly.

That was the adult teacher coming out. Draco grinned.

"And they say you're not responsible enough to teach."

"I'm not. I throw firecrackers and stuff."

They both laughed and returned to work. For a while Draco's mind had been taken off the picture he'd seen in the library, but after a while the thought came back and he started shaking again.

"Nobody here would do that, Draco. Honest. It's just a picture of things that some very evil wizards used to do a long time ago."

"Were they any more evil than Voldemort?" Draco asked softly.

Severus sighed. He couldn't lie about that. Maybe Draco wouldn't ask any further if he told him.

"No, I don't think so."

"So Voldemort and his followers would do these things?"

"They can't get in here, Draco. Hogwarts is protected and they're afraid of Albus anyhow."

"But they would do something like that?"

'No, I don't want to tell you that! I don't want you to be afraid!' But Severus felt he had to be honest with Draco. "Yes, some of them would."

"How do you know that my father's a death eater?"

Well, that was slightly safer ground. Still Severus didn't like to talk about that. He picked up Greenie who had been sniffing around between the books and kept staring at the hedgehog while he answered.

"I know, because he was the one who recruited me."

"You ... "

"I was very lonely as a boy. I never had any friends. The kids never liked me and adults usually ignored me. Only your father didn't. He made me believe he liked me and I admired him for it. He was my hero. I'd have followed him anywhere. I wanted to be exactly like him and when he asked me to become a death eater ... I did. I did it to be like him."

"But I thought you hate him? He certainly hates you."

"Because in his eyes I'm weak. Maybe I am."

"Weak? Because you sometimes cry?"

"Because I can't torture and kill."

"Torture!? Like in that picture?" Draco's face had gone all white again.

"No, not like that picture. Few people can do that. No, I can't use the cruciatus curse. I can't see how it hurts people."

"Voldemort would do it, wouldn't he?" Draco asked suddenly sounding very calm even though he was still very pale.

"Would do what?"

"Would torture somebody like in that picture."

"I don't know. I've never seen anyone do anything like that."

"So Voldemort doesn't do it?"

"I've never seen anything of the sort, but some people claim that it happened. They wouldn't have told me if they did."

"Why not?"

"Well, they already knew that I couldn't stomach cruciatus."

Draco thought back to his reaction to seeing that picture. Only a picture of somebody being tortured and Severus had seen it too and hadn't had the slightest problem with that. Or had he hidden his true reaction? But even if he had he'd been strong enough to suppress his shock. Draco had not.

"I think I couldn't either." he stated and they returned to searching the books.

Strangely Draco felt better now. Maybe it was knowing that Severus understood his reaction or maybe it had just helped to talk about his fears.

"Draco?" Severus said after a while.

"Yes?"

"Don't become a death eater."

"But, it's what I was born for. My father's been training me all of my life. He expects me to follow the family tradition. I can't just walk out on him like that. I have to continue the family line and traditions."

"If you can't do the cruciatus curse that'll be the end of the line. They'd kill you."

"They didn't kill you."

"They needed me. To brew complicated potions for them. Good potion masters are rare and they couldn't find a replacement. But I was still living in constant danger and Lucius still wants to se me dead."

"He'd do it, wouldn't he?"

"Do what?"

"T ... torture.... " Draco couldn't go on, but that wasn't necessary.

"I suspect Nott's the one who does these things. He takes the most pleasure in seeing others suffer. Lucius's much calmer and to high up in the ranks to bother with these simple things. He's more active in the strategy department."

But Draco knew that Severus had been avoiding the real question.

"He's capable of such things though, isn't he?" it wasn't really a question anymore.

"The way I judge him? I think so, but I've never seen any prove and I might be wrong about him. He's hard to read and I don't think I can be entirely objective about him. Too much has happened between us."

"You hate him as much as he hates you, don't you?"

"No, I think I hate him more than he could ever hate me. I'm just a bug to him, some insect he'd like to crush, but I admired and trusted him once and he deceived me. That hurt more than anything he thinks I could ever do to him."

"Anything HE THINKS you can do." Draco repeated slowly. "You're thinking about sending him to Askaban some day?"

"I'd probably do you a favour if I did." Severus answered not meeting his eyes. "Voldemort would most likely forget about you after that."

Draco stared down at the book he was supposed to be searching. Severus was right. If his father went to Azkaban he'd be free of a lot of things. Then again how would his friends react? What would life be like if his father's name no longer protected him? And he really didn't want to imagine Harry Potter's reaction. And the Weasleys? What would Ginny say? Would she want the son of a death eater? But the Weasleys already knew that Lucius was a death eater. Right?

Then something else hit him.

"What if he told on you? They'd question him, ask him to reveal the names of other death eaters. He'd take you down with him. That's just the sort of thing he'd do."

Severus laughed and shook his head.

And suddenly Draco realised the truth. Suddenly he understood why Dumbledore had been so worried that Voldemort might have killed Severus when they'd thought he'd run away. The ministry already knew. Voldemort had been tricked.

"You're not weak. Not weak at all."

"I can't torture people and I can't turn a simple hedgehog into an ashtray and you say I'm not weak?"

"Weak people don't even dare say Voldemort's name. ... Even some death eaters don't, you know."

"Oh yes, I know that. I know more about death eaters than anybody would want to and you don't fit in with those guys any more than I do."

Draco nodded, but didn't answer. He didn't want to make a promise he couldn't keep. No, he didn't want to become a death eater, but he didn't think he could tell his father no either.

"We've got to get going." he said instead. "Potions starts in five minutes."

"Oh joy. We get to spend another hour with Mary Sue."

"Don't tell me you did your homework or something."

"Did my homework? Of course not! I hate potions, remember? I couldn't do a potions essay if I tried."

 

 

Mary Sue still wore a shawl over her most likely still green hair. Judging from the look on her face she had tried just about everything to get rid of the colour and was getting desperate. Severus grinned contentedly. He was definitely not going to tell her the secret formula that might actually work. He'd never had any reason to try it though and wasn't even sure it would.

The classroom had once again been repainted and Mary Sue had moved the student supplies cupboard in front of the hole Severus had blasted into the wall. Well, that situation had potential. Stealing some additional ingredients was gong to be easy. Rudimentary plans were beginning to form in Severus' mind.

Mary Sue once again started the lesson by asking for homework.

"I still didn't find time to replace my house elf." claimed Draco.

Mary Sue, dressed up in a lavender robe and matching paint today, shot him an angry glare and informed him that that had just earned him two bad points as there were now two homeworks overdue.

"I already told you I don't do potions homework." Severus stated patiently.

"I didn't find the time." explained Harry.

"I didn't feel like it." said Hermione.

"I didn't remember the assignment." claimed Gregory. "I think you told us while we were asleep."

"I don't understand it. It's too complicated." complained Vincent.

Mary Sue's lips were pressed together so tightly that Draco suspected they had to be all white somewhere underneath all the blood red lipstick.

"I suggest all of you take a very good look at this list." she said pointing at the blackboard. "Some of you are already very close to an additional homework and we've only been using this system for two lessons. No wonder the poor headmaster was so desperate to find a new potions teacher. My predecessor most likely walked out from frustration."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." grinned Draco.

"You probably are the one who drove him away."

"For your information: Your predecessor liked me. I was one of his favourite students."

"I sincerely doubt that." stated Mary Sue coldly and once again wondered about the class' giggles.

"As several of you failed miserably in their attempts to brew a sleeping potion yesterday we will brew that potion again today. Take out your notes and get to work."

For a while everything seemed to work just fine. Mary Sue began to relax and turned to grading homework.

BOOM!

This time it was Draco and Ron's potion that exploded. Draco had been studying: He had found out exactly how Severus had gotten his potion to explode and had been very happy about this chance to try out the recipe.

Once again a large part of the room had been blackened by the explosion and there was another hole in the wall. This time it showed a nice view of the hallway outside the classroom.

Mary Sue raced over to the two boys and had just opened her mouth to scream at them when ...

HISS!

Hermione and Pansys cauldron once again melted away under the influence of their potion.

Mary Sue turned and ran to their table to quickly clean up before the acid could bum away the table.

"Get the other cauldron and start again!" she ordered the girls.

"But that one melted yesterday!" said Hermione calmly. "We'll have to buy new ones during the next Hogsmeade weekend."

"But that's in three weeks!" exclaimed Pansy in dismay.

Mary Sue sighed.

"I will try to arrange for you two to be allowed to go to Hogsmeade this weekend to buy new cauldrons. Now pack up and ... "

"Ahhh! Professor, help!" screamed Seamus.

Mary Sue turned around immediately. Seamus and Vincent's potion was boiling over. The hot dark brown liquid was running down the sides of the cauldron and over the neatly painted blue table from where it was dripping slowly onto the pink floor.

Mary Sue quickly doused the fire and set to wiping the floor. It didn't help much though. The liquid kept bubbling over the rim for a while and left ugly stains on the table and floor.

She kept rubbing at them until Gregory approached her.

"Um... we have a problem, Professor." he said trying his best not to laugh.

Mary Sue got up and glanced over to his and Neville's work-table. Neville was staring sheepishly at his latest accident. His cauldron had grown feet and was dancing merrily around on the table splashing its contents in all directions creating even more stains on the floor, walls and furniture.

Draco had to fight hard not to laugh. They hadn't planned that of course, but it sure was an excellent prank.

Mary Sue didn't believe her eyes. She walked once around the table eying the dancing cauldron. Then she closed in on it still staring. The cauldron didn't seem impressed.

After almost five minutes Mary Sue finally pulled out her wand and pointed it at the dancing cauldron.

"Fini..."

The cauldron danced out of the way. Mary Sue adjusted her aim. She didn't see Severus gesturing to his classmates behind her back.

"Finite i... "

The cauldron performed a sudden jump and Mary Sue found herself aiming at the table once again. Behind her Draco sneaked over to Harry and Severus' table to pick up Greenie while everybody else was quietly packing their bags.

Mary Sue dropped the keys she'd been holding in her left hand onto the table and grabbed the cauldron. Pulling it close with one hand she used the other to point her wand.

"Finite incantatem!"

The cauldron's legs disappeared and it tilted to one side in Mary Sue's hand covering the entire table in brown goo.

"What do you two think you're doing?" Mary Sue screamed at Neville and Gregory.

Gregory closed his bag and shrugged. Neville was hiding under the table still packing.

"Don't try to pretend you didn't do that on purpose." Mary Sue screeched. "That will cost each of you a bad point. ... Why are you packing? The lesson isn't over yet!"

Neville thought fast.

"To protect our books from that sticky potion. It might have ruined them if they'd been hit."

"Well, that's no excuse for..."

A strange blue mist rising from Severus and Harry's cauldron caught her eye.

"Whatever is that?" Mary Sue came closer to investigate.

The pupils retreated further away from the mist trying not to inhale any of it. Draco and Greenie were already at the door. Neville silently grabbed his cauldron off the table. His eyes fell on the set of keys lying there right beside the cauldron.

Mary Sue stared at the blue mist. She'd never seen anything like it before. She bent over the cauldron noting absent mindedly that the mist smelled rather strange.

Severus and Harry joined the rest of the class at the door grinning proudly. Neville was still staring at the keys. This was his chance to take part in a real prank. He glanced over at their teacher.

Mary Sue dropped to the floor fast asleep.

Neville grabbed the keys and ran for the door.

"Okay everybody, the lesson's over." announced Severus. "Lets go."

The seventh years who arrived for their potions lesson almost half an hour later found Mary Sue sleeping on the floor beside an empty cauldron. They made one half hearted attempt to wake her up then shrugged and walked back out again. They had to do some studying for their NEWTS.

 

 

On Monday evening Severus arrived in the common room smiling happily and carrying a big hammer that Mr. Filch had been missing for days.

"I suggest you remove everything you don't want to get wet as far as possible from the floor." he announced.

"Why? Are we expecting a flood?" asked Susan who being one of his main suppliers for sweets and joke utensils was one of the few Slytherins still daring to approach him when he was smiling.

"Yes." was his only answer.

He walked up into his dorm followed at a safe distance by most of the other Slytherins and hoisted his trunk onto his bed then turned to do the same with Draco's. Seeing that, the others quickly retreated to their own dorms to prepare for whatever Severus was planning.

Draco walked in about ten minutes later a wooden box in his hands and grinning almost as widely as Severus. He stopped in surprise and took in the situation in the room.

"Hey, where have you been?" Severus greeted him. "I've been looking for you for hours and all I found was this hammer."

"You were looking for me in Filch's toolbox?"

"No, around the Quiddich field. Filch must have forgotten his hammer after he repaired the door of the broom shed."

"I was in the Gryffindor common room." announced Draco.

"The Gryffindor common room?"

"Ginny let me in. She also convinced Hermione to get me these." he said showing Severus the box.

Severus peered inside.

"Hermione had me promise to only use them in the dungeons and around Mary Sue though." Draco continued. "I thought we could just let them go in the common room and in front of her office."

Severus smiled.

"Perfect, but we'd better wait until we've put that hammer to use. We don't want to drown them all."

"Drown them? What are you up to?"

"Do you want to climb that shower again?"

Draco thought about it for a moment. He'd managed okay once but it had felt very wobbly up there.

"Not really."

"You'd have the hammer to keep you company." Severus coaxed grinning.

"No."

"Okay, I'll do it, but you'll have to hand me the hammer."

"Okay, lets go! Can I put our little friends on your bed for now?"

"Oh, sure. ... No, wait! You can't. Greenie's in my bed. He'd eat them. Put them on Blaise's bed. Then it doesn't even matter if some of them get out."

Half an hour later there was a knock on the door to Mary Sue's office. Mary Sue opened the door looking very annoyed. Her still green hair was all wet and there was a bottle of hair dye in her hand.

Outside stood a large group of Slytherins whose robes were as wet as Mary Sue's hair.

"Oh Mary Sue, our common room is filling up with water!" Pansy exclaimed as soon as the door opened.

Nobody had passed Severus' warning on to Mary Sue's 'fan club' and Pansy and Millicent were badly frightened.

"We think there must be a leak somewhere." said Susan doing her best to look confused and innocent.

Unlike Pansy she had a pretty good idea what had happened.

Mary Sue sighed heavily. Couldn't she get a moment's peace to tend to her beauty?

"Well, try to remove everything you can out of the water's way and use some towels to soak up the water. I'll be with you in half an hour." she ordered and closed the door.

"Half an hour! We can't wait half an hour!" shrieked Pansy and knocked again, but Mary Sue had returned to the serious business of dying her hair and didn't answer.

It was almost an hour until she finally emerged out of her office freshly painted and a fresh shawl slung over her head to hide her still green hair. She was in an especially bad mood, because of her failed efforts to redye it and didn't feel like dealing with water leaks at all. Where was Mr. Filch when she needed him?

Mr. Filch in fact had been warned about the flood in the Slytherin common room a long time ago, when Severus had shown up in his office to return the hammer. He had at first been very angry as he'd be the one who'd have to repair all the damage done by the water, but then he had remembered the way Mary Sue always treated him like dirt and that she'd even kicked Mrs Norris.

The thought of his poor mistreated cat had convinced him that the stairs up in the astronomy tower needed a good scrubbing and that was what he was tending to right now.

After about ten minutes of banging on the caretaker's door Mary Sue had to accept that Filch was currently not in his office. She decided to take a look at the problem herself and found the Slytherins sitting in front of the closed secret entrance with trunks, bags and pets scattered all about.

"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded. "Why aren't you trying to clean up the water?"

"We ran out of towels." Severus commented dryly despite being wet from head to toes.

He looked like someone had upended a bucket of water over his head. Mary Sue decided that somebody probably had. That kid was annoying enough that that wouldn't surprise her. The other pupils had soaked clothes too, but their hair was mostly dry.

Mary Sue stepped in front of the entrance and said the password. The panel swung open and water gushed out, splashed over Mary Sue's legs and flowed on down the hall. The pupils jumped up screeching and dragged their possessions in the direction of the nearest stairway.

Mary Sue stared at the common room. The water inside was by now knee deep. It was going to flood the entire dungeon. Something had to be done right now.

She waded into the room and tried to determine where the water was coming from. There! It was flowing down the stairs from the boy's dorms.

Mary Sue splashed up the stairs fighting her way up against the water. Tracing the current back to it's source she arrived in a bathroom. There she found it. A broken water pipe was the source of her problem. But she saw no way to get up there to plug it. She'd need a ladder. But even if she'd had one it would have been carried away by the water.

So Mary Sue had to wade back out. She considered closing the door behind her to keep the water contained, but she'd have to go back in once she'd found somebody to turn off the main waterline and then it would flood out anyway as soon as she opened the door.

Now who would know where to turn off the water? Filch of course. But he was nowhere to be found.

Who else might know? Or who might know where the caretaker was?

 

 

Albus Dumbledore looked up in surprise as a soaking wet potions teacher stormed into his office.

"Ah, Mary Sue!" he exclaimed happily. "What brings you here?"

"There is a water leak in Slytherin house." panted Mary Sue. "It's flooding the entire dungeon and I can't find that lazy idiot Filch."

"Now, now, Mary Sue." admonished Dumbledore. "Mr. Filch has a very big castle to take care of I'm sure he's just busy in one of the remote areas of Hogwarts. You should just leave him a note at the door of his office and I'm sure he will take care of it as soon as he comes back."

"That's a major leak I'm talking about. By the time he gets back he might have to dive into the dungeons. I need someone to turn off the main waterline right now." Mary Sue seethed.

"That serious? Well, then I'd better have a look and see what I can do."

"You headmaster?" Mary Sue looked him up and down critically. "I don't see what you can do."

"I can turn off the waterline, if nothing else." stated Dumbledore twinkling happily. "But lets have a look at the situation first. Maybe it wont be necessary to cut all of Hogwarts off from water entirely."

"Trust me, it is." Mary Sue mumbled angrily as she followed Dumbledore back into the dungeons.

They soon met the Slytherins on the stairs and Dumbledore got his first view of the water flowing through the hallways.

"Ah, I do hope you remembered to bring your skates." Dumbledore remarked to the pupils and with one simple spell turned the water into ice.

When they reached the hallway he quickly transfigured his and Mary Sue's shoes into skates and took off in the direction of the Slytherin common room with a happy smile on his face.

"Ah, it's been so long since I last went skating. I really should take some time for it next year."

Mary Sue who happened to be a very bad skater clung desperately to the wall and tried to walk after him.

Albus soon disappeared through the secret door. He had to wait for her in the common room though, as the now frozen water left no clue as to where it had come from. He glided around between the tables enjoying himself immensely for several minutes until Mary Sue finally climbed through the door.

"Ah, Mary Sue. Come to join me for a quick waltz on the ice?"

"No I came to show you to the water leak."

"Oh yes, the leak. It's a pity, but I fear we'll have to dance some other time." Dumbledore said disappointedly.

Mary Sue directed him up the stairs and into the bathroom. Once there the leak was clearly visible due to the large ice waterfall originating from it.

"Ah, I see." stated Dumbledore. "Reparo!"

The leak closed immediately.

Mary Sue stared at the ice covered floor angrily. Any pupil could have performed that spell. Why hadn't she thought of it?

"Hey Albus, where are we going to sleep tonight?" called another happy voice from behind them.

They turned to see Severus standing in the door. His laughter answered all questions Albus Dumbledore might have had about the origin of a certain water leak.

"You could have repaired that yourself, Severus." he remarked laughing too.

"Why would I? It was fun to watch all the confusion. Can I have skates too?"

"Sure." said Dumbledore and transfigured Severus' shoes. "And tell your house mates to take everything they need for one night and move into the hospital wing."

Then Albus conjured a large ice pick that immediately set to hacking up the ice and several buckets that scooped up the pieces and flew them off to dump into the lake.

"There, I think your dungeon should be back to normal by tomorrow evening. Now lets enjoy ourselves while the ice lasts."

But Mary Sue just shook her head and stumbled and slithered back to her office to try once more to dye her hair. The office door however was frozen shut. Mary Sue cursed at it angrily, but that didn't help. She had to rent a room at the Three Broomsticks for the night.

 

Still to come: What is in that box Hermione gave Draco? What will Neville do with the keys he stole? And will Severus find a way to turn himself back? Dumbledore has a surprise for Severus, and so do Draco and a bunch of Gryffindors


	16. Neville's First Prank

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - I know Neville seems a little OOC, but maybe it's just time for him to start believing in himself and I think getting some recognition from Draco and Severus ought to do the trick.

Chapter 16: Neville's First Prank

 

Draco and Severus hurried down to the potions dungeon right after breakfast on Tuesday morning with Draco's wooden box. They expected the hallways to be deserted leaving them to play their next prank in peace, but when they neared Mary Sue's office they heard whispering voices.

"Come on, Neville. Just knock on her door and tell her that you found them somewhere on the floor. She'd never believe that you of all people would steal them."

"Yes, she would. She doesn't know me yet, Harry." came Neville's very nervous reply. "And I did steal them. I can't just go and give them back. I have something to prove to myself I stole them to play a prank on her and now I have to go through with it. I just wish I knew what I could do."

"I don't know, Neville." answered Harry. "You pulling a prank? Have you ever done anything like this before?"

Neville shook his head staring at the floor.

"There's just so many things that can go wrong, Neville. Do you really want to risk detention with Mary Sue?"

Neville shuddered.

"No, but I can't just give this up. I want to do something against her and this is my big chance."

"Well, why don't you just give them to Fred and Gorge?" suggested Harry. "I bet they'll know exactly what they are and how to use them."

"Fred and Gorge? A prank from Fred and Gorge is nothing special. She's probably already been warned about all their usual schemes. I want to do something special. I want to do it myself."

"Neville, you don't even know what you want to do." Harry tried to convince him. "Give them to the experts. It was already very courageous to steal them."

"Maybe we could help." said Severus stepping into view behind them.

"We're really good at pranks, too." said Draco joining his friend.

Neville glanced nervously from one to the other. It was his fault that Severus had been turned into a boy again and Draco wasn't exactly his friend either.

"We'd let you help us with the prank too. The Weasleys never would. They work alone. It's a twin thing, you know." Severus coaxed.

Neville squirmed staring at his tightly closed right fist.

"Come on, show us what you've got." Draco urged him.

"No don't." whispered Harry. "Those two will only get you in trouble Neville. They play too risky. You know how often Severus gets caught."

"So what's a little detention or a few lost points compared to a chance to anger Mary Sue?" commented Draco.

"We don't mind getting caught. It's worth it." grinned Severus. "Come on Harry, you've already risked working with me and it was quite a success. Why shouldn't Neville?"

"Because Neville isn't me. He's afraid of being caught. My muggle relatives don't care whatever I do as long as I'm not at home. His grandma would no doubt send him a howler and Mary Sue would punish him too. Neville's too much afraid of that. He wont do it."

"Are you really scared of a little detention Neville? And what can one little howler do to you? Except for showing all the school that you're not the little coward everybody thinks you are."

"If you show us what you've got, we'll show you what we've got." offered Draco.

"What you've got?" Neville asked curiously.

"Yes, it's right in here." Draco showed Neville the closed box. "Our next prank for Mary Sue courtesy of Hermione."

"Hermione?!" gasped Harry.

"Yes Hermione. Want to see what she's gotten us?"

"I ... I've got Mary Sue's keys." Neville explained. "I don't know what they are for, but she left them on our worktable last lesson and I pocketed them. ... Now what do you have?"

"Cockroaches." grinned Severus. "About fifty cockroaches. "Enough to start a nice little colony in the dungeons."

"Are you sure Mary Sue's afraid of bugs?" Harry asked surprised. "She's our potions teacher. She has to handle all sorts of disgusting ingredients all the time."

"I've been watching her. She always wears gloves when she takes out the jars and she hasn't touched any of the insect parts once during our lessons so far." explained Severus.

"I bet bugs don't go well with pretty dresses and makeup." added Draco.

"So you're just gonna let the cockroaches out somewhere in the dungeons? Or are you taking them into the class with you?" inquired Neville.

"Well, we were going to just drop them off here in front of her door and let tem find their own way inside. If we took them into class they'd be much too likely to end as a meal for Greenie." Severus admitted regarding the little green hedgehog on his arm.

Greenie noticing the attention lifted his little green nose up to him curiously.

"Sniff?" 'Is it mealtime, yet?' They were near the room with all the delicious bugs. He could smell them.

"But since you got her keys ..." Draco left his sentence unfinished.

"I don't even know which keys they are." Neville sighed."I only know that Mary Sue forgot them on our table. They might be her house keys from Australia."

"Or they might be her car keys." grinned Harry. "Then we could just put that box in her car and when she wants to drive off ..."

"Car?" asked Draco. "Why would she have a car? She's a witch."

"She has one. I saw her drive away last weekend. It's parked near Hagrid's hut and I was just going to pay him a little visit when she left."

"I wonder what Hagrid thinks about that car." Severus mused.

"He's probably trying to find out how to feed it." snorted Draco.

"Feed it?"

"Sure, I bet he thinks its some sort of animal. Maybe we'll have to take it for a walk during care for magical creatures."

"Oh, I sure hope we don't have to do that for out NEWTs." exclaimed Neville.

"Why not? Can't be all that difficult?"

"Hagrid does not think that Professor Blackwell's car is an animal." declared Harry angrily. "We talked about it and he said that it was scaring his poor pets and that he wished she had a broom like any normal witch does."

"Well, she isn't a normal witch." decided Severus." She's a muggle with magic powers. Maybe that's the opposite of a squib?"

"Don't get all philosophical, Severus." admonished Draco. "Where do we put our roaches?"

"If only I knew what those keys are for!" sighed Neville.

"Show me." ordered Harry. "I'd recognise if there's a car key among them. They look different from other keys."

Neville finally opened his hand and presented the keys to him on his palm. Harry stared at them. They didn't look anything like car keys.

"No." he said disappointedly. "Those aren't car keys. They're probably just for the supplies cupboard in her office.

"Not all of them." stated Severus eyes glowing with excitement. "Those are the potion master's keys. That one will get us into the office, that one's for the classroom and this one this one is for her private rooms."

"You mean we can put the bugs into her bed?" Neville asked in awe.

"Hey, you're not so bad at planning pranks after all!" grinned Draco. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. Give me those keys."

"Oh no, I wont! I stole those keys and I'll be the one who uses them." declared Neville firmly.

He picked out the key Severus had identified as the office key and pushed it into the lock.

"No! Neville, we can't do that. What if we get caught in there?" protested Harry.

"Then Albus will be a little angry with you, very angry with me and give us all detention." Severus answered happily.

Neville slowly turned the key and soundlessly opened the door.

"Hey Neville, you're good at this." commented Draco surprised. "You might not be much of a wizard, but you'd sure make a great thief.

Neville grinned back at him proudly.

"Okay, lets go in."

Harry watched horrified as Draco, Neville and Severus slipped through the door into the empty office. Severus looked back over his shoulder.

"Come on Harry!" he called "Hurry up, before someone sees you."

"I'm not going in there!"

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're afraid!" sneered Severus.

"Sniff!" said Greenie in his arms.

Harry clenched his fists angrily. Now even the hedgehog was sniffing at him!

"I'm not afraid!" he claimed. "It's just not right what you're doing. This is breaking in."

"Oh and blowing up potions is right?"

"That's just a prank. This is an actual crime. Those are her private rooms. We can't go in there!"

"This is a prank too. We're not going to steal anything, Harry. Don't be a coward. Come in!"

"No I wont, It's not right."

"All right, if you're such a baby then you're lookout. Go back to the comer and warn us if anyone comes."

Harry glared at Severus angrily feeling ashamed and insulted, but he really didn't want anything to do with braking into a teacher's private room and grudgingly agreed to watch the hallway.

Severus quickly followed the other two into Mary Sue's office and stood frozen with shock for a moment.

All his precious ingredients were gone and so were the shelves he had kept them on. In their place Mary Sue had hung up pictures of flowers. Flowers in vases, flowers on meadows, flowers with no background at all. The room itself was painted in lavender and the furniture was now pink.

"My office! Noooo!"

Draco gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, lets get even."

Neville was already turning the key in the next door and seconds later the three boys entered a room of mostly light blue and even more pink.

"Oh no!" exclaimed Neville. "How can she bear to live in here?

Draco cast a quick look through the room.

"Well, at least this one isn't full of pictures of flowers." he stated.

"You think kissing couples are any better?" Neville asked sarcastically.

Severus just buried his face in his hands.

"How could she do that to my home?"

Neville and Draco exchanged a look. Maybe they should have left Severus outside? They should have known what to expect in here and what devastating effects it would have on Severus.

"Whatever is that disgusting smell?" asked Neville.

"Perfume." whispered Severus without taking his hands away from his face. "Must be coming from the bathroom."

"Uh, we should have brought dung bombs." commented Draco.

"I'm sure all of this can be fixed with a little paint and a few minor spells, Severus." Neville tried to console his former teacher. "Well, except for the smell, but maybe there's a potion that can fix that."

"Nothing's that strong, but I guess it will go away in a few days once we get Mary Sue out of here." decided Severus.

"So where do we best put our little friends?" Draco asked eying a heart shaped pink pillow on Mary Sue's bed. "Do you think we could convince one of them to sit under that?"

"Just dump them all onto the bed." Severus advised. "They'll sure find some nice hiding places from there."

Greenie struggled hard to get away when they let loose all the delicious cockroaches, but Severus held him back.

"No Greenie, those aren't for you. I'll grab you some nice slugs out of the cupboard as soon as we get to class. I promise. Just leave the roaches alone."

"Sniff!" protested Greenie. 'Why can't I have roaches and slugs? Those go very well together.' But the boys just carried him back out into the hallway.

"Are you going to give back that key now?" Harry asked Neville immediately.

"No, that would be too suspicious. I'll just find it in a few weeks or so." grinned Neville.

Harry stared at his friend in surprise. All of a sudden Neville didn't seem clumsy and insecure at all. He looked proud and mischievous and ready to take on the world. What had happened to Neville in those few minutes that they'd been gone?

At least Harry's watch insisted that it had been only a few minutes. It had seemed like an eternity to him.

They were of course the first ones to arrive in the potions classroom and Severus immediately went to get the promised slugs for Greenie.

Mary Sue had repainted the classroom once again and dragged one of the worktables over to hide the second hole in the wall.

"So what's today's strategy for explosions?" Draco asked when Severus returned with Greenie's snack.

"Firecrackers. Susan gave me a whole box full in return for her last DADA homework. We'll just slip them into as many cauldrons as possible."

"Great!" exclaimed Neville. "Can I have one?"

"Sure. Here you are." Severus handed him a firecracker and then held another one out to Draco.

"DADA homework? Aren't you writing her potions essays anymore?"

"Potions essays? What potions essays? Who still does potions homework?" Severus asked pretending to be confused.

"You convinced the rest of your house not to do any potions homework either?" Harry asked surprised.

He hadn't thought that Severus held this much influence over his housemates after the way he'd seen them treat him in the beginning. He had to admit though that it had been a while since he'd last heard about a horde of Slytherins ganging up to beat up Severus.

"Most of them. Mary Sue has some fans in every class, but some Ravenclaws and most of the fourth year's Gryffindors make up for those."

"You convinced Gryffindors to take part in a Slytherin scheme?" Now Harry was really surprised.

"That was Draco, not me." Severus stated as if that explained everything.

Harry shifted his incredulous stare to Draco who shrugged.

"Well, actually it was Ginny who talked them into it. I just asked her to help out."

"Ginny? What did you do to Ginny to make her agree to that?"

"I don't know." Draco said innocently. "Showed her some pictures, shared a few chocolate frogs, sang a little song... Nothing special."

"Song?"

"Song." confirmed Draco just as the rest of class walked in.

Mary Sue showed up shortly and in a very bad mood. She'd finally given up her attempts at redying her hair and Mr. Filch had had the honour of shaving it off this morning. He had of course voiced his opinion that fate had done this to her as just punishment for mistreating a poor innocent cat which hadn't exactly improved her mood. Now she was once again facing her least favourite class.

"Good morning children. Before we start our work: I have lost my office keys and I think it happened during your last lesson. Has anyone seen them?"

Nobody answered.

"Well, if you find a set of keys somewhere please be so kind to bring them straight to me.

"Does that mean that you can't get into your office anymore, Mary Sue?" asked Lavender horrified.

"Oh no dear! I do have a set of spare keys so the situation isn't all that bad, but I would like the originals back as well." Mary Sue smiled at Lavender. "Now, who wants to hand in their homework?"

Four eager hands shot into the air. Mary Sue collected the essays of Lavender, Parvati, Pansy and Millicent and then turned to glare at the rest of the class.

"And what about the rest of you? Why didn't you do your homework?"

"Oh, I did do it, Professor." said Neville to everyone's surprise. "I just don't want to hand it in."

"All right. Everybody, hand in your homework." Mary Sue growled.

Neville's homework of course wasn't nice enough, and neither were Dean's nor Seamus'. The rest of the class didn't hand in anything at all.

"Have you ever considered writing your homework yourself, Malfoy?" Mary Sue snarled when Draco once again claimed his lack of a house elf as an excuse.

"No." Draco answered calmly.

"I just forgot." Ron shrugged when Mary Sue turned to him.

"Well, try to remember next time, because your account of bad points is steadily growing. Yes Snape, I know you don't do potions homework, but you've earned yourself an extra homework now."

"No problem. I just wont do it." stated Severus.

"If you don't I'll report you to the headmaster. I do believe Professor Dumbledore expects you to learn potions if you want to or not."

"Good old Albus. I haven't been in his office for over a week. I wonder if he misses me."

Mary Sue decided not to respond to that crazy remark and turned her attention to Harry instead.

"I'm sure I did it sometime, but I can't find it now. Maybe Severus' hedgehog ate it?"

Mary Sue stared at Greenie. Greenie sniffed at Mary Sue. He still didn't like the smell of that one. As terrible as the room in which he hadn't been allowed to eat the roaches. The little green hedgehog turned and walked over to the other end of the table for some fresh air.

"Can't you at least come up with a more plausible lie?" Mary Sue asked Harry.

"Um ... no?"

"Granger, what about yours?"

"My what?"

"Your homework. Why didn't you do it?"

"Oh that! Busy schedule, you know."

"Crabbe?"

"It's still too complicated. I can't understand anything."

"Then get some older student to help you. I don't have time to give extra lessons for morons. Goyle, what's your excuse?"

"Um ... er ... Do I have to have one? I didn't do it. That's all."

Mary Sue retreated to the blackboard to update her list.

"Well, Mr. Snape is so far the only one who has to do the additional homework, but Malfoy and Granger are really close and several others not far behind." she concluded. "You have one week to bring that homework. If you do not I will report you to the headmaster. The same will happen to anyone else who reaches ten bad points."

Severus grinned and shrugged at Draco. Hadn't Mary Sue noticed that he wasn't afraid of Dumbledore yet? Severus was really looking forward to that punishment. He wanted to see Albus' face. 'I wish I could be there when she tells him.'

"As there have been too many accidents with the sleeping potion in this class lately I've decided to brew the antidote instead today. You can find the recipe in your book on page 369. You will notice that we do not have the final ingredient listed there. I will supply you with a replacement later once you've mixed all the other ingredients properly."

Once again the beginning of the lesson went well and Mary Sue began to relax. She did not dare to start grading homework however and walked up and down the classroom to keep an eye on the pupils.

Suddenly Pansy shrieked. Mary Sue raced over expecting to see a melting cauldron once again. Instead she found that Pansy and Hermione's potion had changed colour and was emitting slightly green smoke. A small whirlwind was rising from the cauldron.

As Mary Sue came closer Hermione 'accidentally' pushed over the cauldron and sent the whirlwind in her direction. Mary Sue shrieked as it tore the shawl off her bald head. The class roared with laughter.

"Oh no!" gasped Pansy. "What happened to your hair?"

Mary Sue picked her shawl and the remains of her dignity up from the floor and sent a murderous glare in the direction of Draco and Ron.

"That green colour of yours wouldn't go out so I had to shave it off. Now please return to work. Granger and Pansy, start over! And make it fast. I'll go get that final ingredient."

Severus followed Mary Sue into her office and watched her attempt to retie her shawl. Her nervously shaking fingers made it difficult and she had to start again.

"Professor?"

Mary Sue whirled around. She hadn't noticed that he'd followed her.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"Harry sent me to get the final ingredient. We're almost done, he says."

Mary Sue took a jar off her desk and thrust it into Severus' hands.

"There give each pair two of those to add as the final ingredient." she snarled shooing him out of her office.

Severus left obediently and returned to Harry's side. Harry looked curiously at the jar.

"What's that?"

"Our final ingredient."

Harry peered into the jar. Whatever it was looked like thick round blue roots.

Severus took them out one by one cut small holes into them and quickly stuffed a firecracker into each. After one more triumphant grin at Harry he began his round through the room handing out two blue time bombs to every pair.

BOOM!

The first explosion called Mary Sue forth from her office. She raced out to see that Harry and Severus' worktable and the surrounding area were covered in dark blue spots.

Before she could do anything about it the next potion exploded. And then another ... and another and ...

Less then one minute later Mary Sue stood staring open mouthed at her blue dotted classroom and blue dotted pupils.

"Is it really supposed to do that Professor Blackwell?" asked Draco. "That doesn't quite seem safe enough to do in class."

Mary Sue turned to him her mouth still hanging open. She closed it.

BOOM went Hermione and Pansy's cauldron behind her showering her with blue potion.

"Class dismissed." was all Mary Sue could still think of to say.

The pupils of course didn't question their luck. They grabbed their bags and ran. At least this gave them a chance to change before their next lessons.

 

 

As Mr. Filch once again was nowhere to be found Mary Sue had to grab a bucket and a brush and start cleaning her classroom herself as soon as she was done with her morning lessons. She had briefly considered leaving it as it was and getting Filch to clean up later, but she feared that once the blue stains had completely dried they might not be so easily washed off.

Remembering the horror that had happened to her hair she set to work. The stains on the furniture proved easy enough to remove, but those on the walls remained. Mary Sue sighed. She'd have to repaint the whole room again.

'I just can't go on painting the classroom three times a week.' she thought when she returned to her room to lie down and rest for a moment. 'There has to be a way to teach potions without wrecking the room all the time.'

She glanced at her watch. Not much time left for lunch and she'd have to redo her makeup before she could show herself in the great hall. Mary Sue cast one last longing look in the direction of her bed ... Had she just seen something black dash over her blanket? No she had to be wrong. ... and went into the bathroom.

Checking her face in the mirror she took her rouge and ...

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Mary Sue fainted.

The cockroach had just been exploring the bathroom for convenient cracks to make his home in when he'd suddenly heard sounds from outside. It was nice to move about again. That box had been way too small and crowded for his taste and he hated to give up his chance to run around. This was a nice place too. So many objects to explore! He thought he'd like his new home.

But then the sounds had come closer. Something big had moved into the room. Big things were bad news and the cockroach had sought cover under a conveniently placed object. The big thing had stopped very near this hiding place and he had been grateful to have cover.

And then that cover had suddenly moved and been lifted away from him! The cockroach looked up and ...

'AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!' he thought as he saw the giant monster.

He raced out of that room as fast as his many legs could carry him.

 

 

Draco was waiting near the Gryffindors' usual entrance to the great hall. Ginny was late for breakfast today. Well, so were her brothers and he could imagine why, but he was getting impatient.

The Slytherins cast quick glances over to where he stood then to Severus who was eating breakfast seemingly unconcerned. What was going on? Had they quarrelled? Nobody dared to approach Severus about it and Draco was at the moment out of reach. At least none of them were curious enough to go over to the Gryffindor side of the room.

Finally Ginny arrived accompanied by her brothers and Harry. Draco winced. Not the safest moment to approach her, but he wanted to do this now. She might think he'd forgotten if he didn't.

"Ginny?"

"Good morning, Draco!" Ginny called cheerfully.

Her family and friends looked at him with very sour expressions. Draco decided to ignore them. After all he hadn't come with bad intentions. Even Gryffindors would have to accept that. ... Right?

Draco pulled out the little package from his bag and quickly conjured a bunch of red roses from his wand. It looked easy the way he did it. Nobody would guess that yesterday evening and night Severus had spent hours on teaching him that spell.

"I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday." he said holding out his gift to Ginny.

Ginny blushed deep red.

"Oh Draco! How considerate of you! I had no idea you even knew. Oh what beautiful flowers!" Ginny exclaimed.

That was so romantic. How could she thank him? Ginny simply followed her first impulse. She threw her arms around Draco and kissed him.

Draco suddenly felt Ginnys lips on his. Oh wow! For a moment he was too startled to react. Then he gently put his arms around her and kissed her back.

Jaws dropped all around the great hall. A Malfoy and a Weasley?

The Slytherin fifth years started cheering and soon the whole Slytherin table was applauding. The Gryffindors however looked murderous. Harry Potter was holding back Ron Weasley with a visible effort.

"Take your hands off my sister!" Ron yelled fighting against Harry's hold on him.

Hermione raced over to help Harry restrain him.

"Ron it seems to me that it was Ginny who kissed Malfoy not the other way round." Harry tried to explain to Ron. "She'd certainly not appreciate you beating up her boyfriend for kissing her.

"Boyfriend?! I'll kill him!" roared Ron.

But with joined forces Hermione, Harry and the twins managed to drag him away and get him to sit down.

The Slytherins cheered even louder when Draco returned to their table and sat down beside Severus to have breakfast.

Greenie looked up at him when he sat down.

"Sniff!" 'Oh there you are. Can I have my cornflakes please? I'm hungry.'

"What am I responsible for your breakfast now?" Draco asked the little green hedgehog.

"Sniff!" 'Yes, you are. Now hurry up please.'

Severus grinned at him.

"My pets just love you. You should be proud. They don't talk to everybody, you know."

"Only all those people who feed them?" Draco guessed.

"No, Corvus is actually a very reserved bird."

"But Greenie isn't."

"Isn't what? A bird? I do hope so." asked Severus fighting laughter. "Well done with Ginny by the way. That girl simply adores you now."

"Well her brothers don't. And all the school knows now. Think there'll be trouble?"

"Your father's going to find out. Think he'll approve of a Weasley?"

"They are purebloods. But then again I think he expects me to marry some rich death eater's daughter."

"Maybe you ought to write him a letter." Severus grinned. "Tell him that Pansy left you for Blaise and you're now in love with Hermione."

"Hermione? I'm not interested in Hermione at all. She's a mudblood. Father would kill me." Draco protested.

"Exactly. Just think how relieved he'll be when he hears that you changed your mind and took a Weasley instead."

"I don't know. That's pretty devious."

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"We're Slytherins. We're supposed to be devious."

Draco sighed. He didn't feel like writing home at all, but if it really could change his father's opinion of Ginny he had to try.

 

 

Albus Dumbledore was surprised to see Mary Sue waiting for him in front of his office. She had been avoiding him ever since the disastrous water leak incident in the Slytherin common room.

Albus wasn't quite sure what to think of a teacher who couldn't think of using a simple spell like reparo to repair a water leak. Then again it wasn't up to him to judge people and he hadn't chosen this particular teacher for her intelligence. He just needed somebody to teach potions until Severus was old enough to take his job back. In other words: He'd only have to put up with Mary Sue for three years.

"Mary Sue! How nice to see you." he smiled at her.

Only very few people who had known him for many years could have told that it was a false smile.

"Headmaster, I need to speak to you."

"Ah yes, do come in." Albus waved her into his office and motioned for her to sit down. "What can I do for you?"

"It's about the fifth years Slytherins and Gryffindors."

"Yes, that's a very difficult class, but I believe I warned you of that right in the beginning."

"You did warn me about them not getting along with each other, but I had no idea they were so incompetent and lazy."

"Incompetent and lazy? I suppose you're referring to Mr. Longbottom's frequent accidents?"

"Longbottom? Longbottom is impertinent and loves to mess up on purpose. I've noticed that, but I will handle him, no doubt."

Neville Longbottom impertinent? Albus remembered several teacher's reporting how much Neville had improved during the last week and was no longer so shy. Albus suspected that the boy was in love. Having a girlfriend could be quite a boost for a shy boy's ego. But impertinent?

"No, I'm having problems with pupils refusing to do their homework. They're making up the most ridiculous excuses and some don't even bother with an excuse at all. Due to their lack of interest in the subject they are way behind the other classes and no lesson passes without several accidents. Sooner or later somebody is going to get seriously hurt. It's a miracle it hasn't already happened."

"So what do you expect me to do about it?"

"Well, I have warned them I have threatened and I have given them additional homework, but nothing helps. Therefore I have decided that pupils who don't bring their additional homework within a week have to answer to you."

"Ah, and such a case has occurred?"

"Yes, Mr. Snape refuses to do any homework at all. He says potions is dull and he doesn't see what he should need it for in his later life. He hasn't the slightest idea of even the simplest basics in potions and everything he touches ends in an explosion. I have no idea how that boy could have reached the fifth year without learning anything at all. He couldn't pass the first year's exams with the knowledge he has."

Albus Dumbledore laughed.

Mary Sue stared him.

"Headmaster?"

Albus tried to speak, but he was laughing so hard that he couldn't manage a word. Tears were rolling down his cheeks.

Mary Sue watched this for a while wondering if she should alert Madame Pomfrey.

"Mary Sue," Albus finally managed. "you've been had."

"What?"

"Severus Snape knows more about potions than anybody else in this castle you and me included."

"Oh, really? The kid with the green hedgehog?"

"Yes, the kid with the green hedgehog. He's a prankster, absolutely respectless and he steals, but except for transfigurations he's a top student in every class. I'm sure he could teach you some facts about potions you've never known and if he wants something to blow up, he'll make it."

Mary Sue looked very doubtful. Albus smiled.

"Very well, I will talk to him about doing potions homework, but I doubt he'll be impressed. Anybody else you want me to talk to?"

"Not at the moment, but Malfoy and Granger have only two days left to bring that homework and I doubt either of those two lazy little brats will do it.

"Granger? Hermione Granger?"

"Yes, Granger. She claims her social life doesn't allow her enough time to do homework."

At this Albus Dumbledore suffered another laughing attack. Mary Sue eyed him for a moment. Then she decided to go. Good thing she only had signed on till the end of this year. She couldn't wait to get out of this madhouse and back to her nice little girls' school in Australia with a sane headmistress and nice respectful pupils.

 

 

Right after the last lesson of the day Albus called Severus to his office.

"Um ... Am I here because of Blaise?" Severus asked as he came in.

"Blaise? Blaise Zabini?"

"Yes, Zabini. Has he anything to do with this?"

"No. Why? What did you do to him?" Albus asked intrigued.

"Nothing." Seeing the look Albus gave him he added. "Well, I think I might have broken his nose. He went to see Poppy after lunch break and I haven't seen him since."

"In that case I suggest you go over to the hospital wing after our little talk and tell him you're sorry." commented Dumbledore.

"Definitely not. I'm not sorry at all and I wont pretend to be."

"Severus ..."

"He's the one who tried to frame me with stealing Draco's homework just to make everybody hate me. I'm not sorry for anything that might happen to him." Severus grinned. "I can make people hate me on my own. I don't need anybody's help with it."

Albus sighed. The situation in Slytherin house had calmed down though. It seemed they had reestablished their system of rank now. There still were occasional fights, but it seemed they generally accepted Severus now. Draco Malfoy had proven to be a good choice of friend for Severus after all.

"Well, Blaise is not the reason I called you here today. Got any other ideas?" Dumbledore smiled.

That might get him some interesting information about Severus' activities during the last few days. Severus however had guessed it now.

"Mary Sue does not like me?"

"No, not at all."

"Good. I don't like her either."

"Severus, she's not taking away your job. She's not even qualified enough to do that."

"I've noticed that." remarked Severus dryly.

"She's a temporary replacement. As soon as you graduate you get your job back and I don't care what happens to her after that, but we do need her now. So please show her a little respect and try to talk your classmates into doing their homework."

"She doesn't show any respect either. She's biased and unfriendly and overly strict."

"I seem to remember another teacher they said all that about."

"She painted my classroom and office pink, Albus! PINK! Even the Gryffindors are shocked by the sight of it. The only potions she really understands are perfumes. You can't breathe anywhere near her."

"That's what I noticed, but she does have the right to wear as much perfume as she wants to. It's only a matter of personal taste."

"Taste? She doesn't have any taste at all. Honest! Did you see what she did to my dungeon? It's horrible. She's even started to paint the girls dorms. Susan says she painted her dorm pink with white bunnies on the walls. Bunnies Albus! The poor girls are having nightmares."

"Now come on! Who'd have nightmares of sweet little white bunnies?"

"Any real Slytherin would. We're not nice people, Albus. And we don't like nice fluffy bunnies in our rooms. Serpents or dragons or panthers okay, but not bunnies."

"I heard that some girls are very fond of Mary Sue's decorations."

"Yes, the same girls that imitate her war paint, do her homework and can do anything they like in class without getting punished. They're absolutely out of their minds. They've been brainwashed."

"Maybe they just need a mother figure?" suggested Dwnbledore. "Many Slytherins seem to be neglected children who need a guiding hand. Maybe a woman's touch is what your house has always needed."

"Almost all of them are neglected in some way or other, but Mary Sue is definitely not what they need. Give us someone like Minerva or Poppy ... maybe even Sprout for a mother figure and it might work, but Mary Sue's too much paint with too little brain. - The Hufflepuffs might like her though."

"Severus, Mary Sue was all I could get. Nobody in their right mind wants the j ob of teaching you potions. They think you'd show them up. And I couldn't go on doing it myself. Not for three years. I'm overworked as it is. So please be nice to Mary Sue."

"Sorry Albus, but I can't. I can't stand her. Please find somebody else, anybody else. I'd rather have Lucius Malfoy as a teacher than her." Severus begged.

"Lucius? Well all right, I'll ask Lucius. I cant imagine why he'd want to be a teacher though.

"Thanks!" and with this Severus slipped out of Albus Dumbledore's office unpunished.

 

Still to come: And will Severus find a way to turn himself back? Dumbledore has a surprise for Severus, and so do Draco and a bunch of Gryffindors, Will Lucius start teaching at Hogwarts?, Or will he try to get between Draco and Ginny?


	17. A Big Decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - OK, we're doing a little time jump now and are now close to the end of the year.

Chapter 17: A Big Decision

 

Severus was staring angrily at his frog. The animal simply refused to turn into a rose and there were less then two month left before the OWLS.

McGonnagal had walked past him several times already, but had not commented on his as of yet still unchanged frog. He wondered what she was thinking.

The only plus side was that the frog hadn't turned green yet. Then again it had been green to start with so maybe it had turned green, but the change wasn't visible.

"Come on, try!" Draco encouraged him. "Roses are just as alive as frogs. You're not killing him."

"Roses don't look very alive to me. I bet he likes being a frog much better. At least he can hop around and isn't rooted to the ground."

Draco sighed. Severus and transfigurations was never going to work. Even Professor McGonnagal seemed to have given up on him.

Severus gently poked the frog with his wand.

"Quack!" croaked the frog in response.

"Do you want to be a rose?"

"Quack!"

"See! He likes being a frog."

"Severus, that frog has no idea what you just said. He doesn't speak English."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Albus Dumbledore burst in radiating happiness in a way even Severus had hardly ever seen before.

"Is Voldemort dead?" he wondered. "What else could make him this happy?"

"Maybe Mary Sue just told him she's leaving." Draco suggested hopefully.

"He wouldn't be happy about that. He still doesn't have a replacement."

Draco didn't respond. Replacing Mary Sue was a sore spot ever since Lucius had actually nearly accepted the job. It had been his own letter about Hermione that had triggered that. Lucius had been so shocked by the thought that his son was in love with a mudblood that he had considered taking the lowly job of a teacher to keep an eye on him. Luckily the news of Draco kissing Ginny had gotten to him in time and he had decided that it wasn't worth the humiliation of actually working after all.

"Severus, could you come to my office for a moment? We need to talk." said Dumbledore still beaming.

Now Severus was really confused. What did it all have to do with him? What was big enough to make Dumbledore take him out of a transfigurations lesson.

He got up, picked up his bag and books and followed the headmaster.

"Albus? What did I do wrong this time?" he asked cautiously. "I don't remember any particularly bad pranks this week. Well, there was one, but I'm sure Mary Sue has no idea that that was me."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Severus." smiled Dumbledore. "I've got some news for you. Good news."

"Mary Sue's committed suicide?"

"No, even better news than that."

"What can be better than that?"

"I got a letter from Durmstrang. A very complicated and detailed letter I don't fully understand, but I'm sure you'd find most fascinating."

"You want me to explain a letter to you?" Severus asked confused as they entered Albus' office.

"Oh no, I'm quite satisfied with the part that I understood and the package that came with it." smiled Dumbledore.

"Package? Why? What's in that package?"

"Your antidote. They assure me that it is perfectly safe, though they aren't sure about the exact dose required as we have no way of knowing how concentrated Neville's potion was. You might wind up slightly younger than you originally were, but that's not gonna make much of a difference."

Severus stared at Dumbledore. This was supposed to make him happy. It was what he had wanted all the time. He had been close to despair when he'd had to give up his own experiments, because he had been unable to get the necessary ingredients.

But all he felt was shock and confusion. Severus sat down on the chair opposite from Albus' desk trying to find a coherent thought.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked gently.

He had obviously not expected this kind of reaction. Severus however had no time to deal with what Albus had expected of him right now. He had to sort out his own thoughts and feelings.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked again now sounding a little worried.

"How did they do it? You said it was impossible and what I found out about it didn't look good."

He needed time to sort this out. Maybe the technical information would help.

"That's the part of the letter I don't understand." confessed the headmaster. "Here, read for yourself."

Severus reread the letter several times. Albus watched him worriedly.

"If I take this potion I'll return to exactly the way I was before?"

"Well, as I said before and you've also read in that letter our friends at Durmstrang aren't sure about the exact concentration required. They assure us however that this can not make you any older than you ought to be." Albus said still wondering what that was all about.

Severus sat staring at the potion for a while. He still hadn't touched it as if he was afraid that it might harm him.

"What about the dark mark?" he asked suddenly.

"The dark mark?"

"Will that mark return as well? Because if it does I'm not sure I want to do this."

Was that the truth? Granted, he didn't want the dark mark back and he also wasn't sure if he wanted to take that potion. But were those two feelings really connected? What was it that he didn't want? Severus needed more time to sort this out.

"Severus, that mark is just a picture. It's rather ugly, but not a reason to give up your life. You have the chance to go back to what you ought to be. Take it."

"It's not just a picture, Albus. It stands for evil, for the worst things I've done and seen in my life. It's a constant reminder of the terrible mistakes I've made. I always wanted to get rid of it and now I've got my wish. I can't just throw that away."

"But it also works the other way around. Don't you see? It also stands for our fight against these things. It stands for everything you've done against Voldemort and his minions. And it is also supposed to serve as a reminder of where you truly belong. A reminder of the things you've overcome. You were stronger than that. See it like this and it turns into a mark of honour. Everything it stands for is just in the way you see it. Like all symbols it only takes on meaning in our minds."

"Give me some time to think this over. I need to talk to Draco."

That was it! Draco. He couldn't just walk out on the boy, but then again they had agreed that he had to be turned back to get rid of Mary Sue.

"I'll tell you later, Albus. It's not an easy choice."

Dumbledore nodded. Maybe Severus had been a boy for too long. He'd adapted too much to this other life, had made plans and friends. Albus understood that it wasn't easy to let all of that go. He just hoped that Severus understood where he really belonged.

Severus left the headmaster's office, but didn't return to class. He went to his dorm and sat on his bed staring at some of the pictures he and Draco had hung on the walls much to Blaise's disgust.

This wasn't just a choice between being an adult teacher and being a pupil. It was also a choice between being with his old friend or his new friend.

Albus, he had come to understand, couldn't relate to the boy the way he could to the adult. He was unsure about how to treat Severus and missed his friend. As much as the headmaster liked being around children he also needed his adult friends whose strength he could rely on. Dumbledore might like the boy Severus, but he couldn't rely on him and he felt pushed out of his life. And he needed his help to fight Voldemort.

Draco might respect Snape the teacher, but he wouldn't confide in him as he did in his friend Severus. A friend was what Draco needed most in his life. He'd seen how much it had changed the boy already. If Draco unlike Severus grew up having a real friend to rely on, someone to turn to and confess his true feelings to he might not grow up to be death eater. Draco too needed Severus to fight Voldemort. Only in a different way.

What was more important? To help save the entire word or to save one single soul? It wasn't a mathematical problem. Mathematical problems could be solved easily.

Which one of his friends needed him more?

They both did and he couldn't leave either of them, but Albus needed him as an adult, Draco as a boy.

Severus got up and went to get Greenie. The hedgehog looked at him with little dark green eyes.

"Sniff?"

Severus held him up with both hands to face him.

"What do I do Greenie?" he asked the little animal. "Who do I choose when I can't choose at all?"

"Sniff!" said Greenie. 'When I get to choose between a potato and a bug I always eat both.'

Severus returned to his bed with the hedgehog on his arm. He sat Greenie down on the bed beside him and watched him snuffle around on the blanket looking for food that wasn't there.

Greenie was definitely not the right person to ask for advice. What did a hedgehog know about human friendships and dark lords? How should Greenie understand? And how should Greenie give him an answer? All he could say was 'Sniff'.

But who else could he turn to? Who would listen and give him advice?

Normally he'd go to Albus, but this time he knew what Albus wanted and he certainly wouldn't take Draco's needs into consideration.

He needed an adult who had nothing to lose or gain from either decision. Someone who understood him and wouldn't mind either way.

Where could he find someone who was friend enough to lend him an ear and some well thought over advice yet not friend enough to be dependant on his decision?

Severus jumped up and grabbed the hedgehog.

"Come on Greenie. We're going to see Remus."

"Sniff?" Greenie wasn't used to getting put down and then picked up again this quickly.

Severus didn't care about the hedgehog's confusion however. He had more important problems on his mind.

 

 

Remus had finished his morning classes and was about to go down to the great hall for lunch when Severus showed up in his office.

"Hello partner!" he greeted him happily.

"Hi." mumbled Severus.

Remus looked at the boy more closely. He seemed rather unhappy.

"What's wrong? I heard some rumours that they've found a way to turn you back. Not true?"

"Oh yes, they are."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Remus, I ... I'm not sure I want it.

"Want what? To be turned back?"

Severus nodded glumly cuddling Greenie. The way he held the little hedgehog it had to hurt.

"First of all: Come in and sit down." Remus ordered deciding that lunch would have to wait. 'Maybe about till dinnertime?'

Severus trudged in and sat down still holding his hedgehog tightly to his chest.

"Why don't you put Greenie on my desk." suggested Remus. "I've got a book on vampires there that he hasn't tasted yet. He might like to gnaw at it a little."

Again Severus complied without a word. Greenie sniffed at him still a little confused, then sat off to explore his new surroundings. He had been here before. He remembered the place. A lot of interestingly smelling objects, but hardly ever any food. Greenie felt hungry. Wasn't it about lunchtime? When did Severus plan to feed him?

"Sniff!" 'I want my potatoes!'

Both Severus and Remus ignored the hedgehog however.

"So what's the problem?" Remus asked. "Do you like being a child again? I thought you hated it the first time around."

"I did, but this time it's different. I've got Draco. We've had so much fun together. I hate the idea of leaving him."

"But you're not going anywhere, are you? You'll still be here?"

"But not in the way I'm here now. Draco needs me Remus. He's just as lonely as I was back then. And you know where that led me to. I don't want Draco ending up making the same mistakes I did. He's suffered enough from his father already. I think I could help him if I'm just there for him."

"So you want to stay a boy. Then why don't you go and tell that to Albus? I'm sure he'll understand. Nobody wants to force you back into being an adult. We all, just thought that it was what you wanted and we were trying to help. If you're sure that you don't want it, just don't do it. It's your choice."

"I'm not sure what want. I want to be Draco's friend, but I also want to be Albus'."

"Albus? What has Albus' friendship to do with your age?"

"Everything, We haven't been getting along too well ever since I've been a boy again. He doesn't seem to know how to handle the situation. I know he wants me back the way I was, the way he understands me. And he needs me too, Remus. He needs me and he's giving me a chance to make up for my mistakes. I owe him so much."

Remus regarded the boy thoughtfully.

"You know, you're telling me what Draco wants and what Albus wants, but what is it that you want Severus? Everybody else's wishes aside. What would you want if this concerned only you? What is it that you really need?"

Severus thought about this hard. It wasn't really hard to answer the question, but he didn't really want to admit the answer to anyone. Especially not to Remus. It was kind of personal. But then again he had come here hoping to solve a personal problem. Remus couldn't help him with that if he wasn't willing to answer personal questions. Severus stared at the floor.

"Friends." he whispered.

"What?"

"What I really need are my friends. And I can't choose between them. I need them both. Albus gives me strength. He makes me feel safe and protected. Draco makes me laugh. He makes me feel understood and accepted. I need them, Remus. I need them both."

Remus sighed. That wasn't going the way he'd expected. Severus wasn't choosing between his old life and his chance to make a new start. He was trying to choose between the mentor he owed his life to and the boy whose life he might have a chance to save.

"One can't choose between friends, Severus. It's not right. Morally I mean. You have to find out which life you want to live. Don't take other people's feelings into account for this choice."

Severus continued to stare at the floor. Which life did he want to live? He didn't know. One offered a chance to be free of the dark mark, the other to use it to save others from it.

One chance to live his whole life again differently and one chance to get rid of Mary Sue.

"It's not so easy not to think of them. They're very important to me."

"I know. Take some time to think about it, though. I'm sure you'll find a way."

Severus sighed when he left Remus' office. That hadn't helped much. 'Think about it.' That was what he'd been doing before.

Now where should he go? It was lunchtime, but he didn't really feel hungry. If he went to the great hall he'd meet Draco there and he'd have to tell him about the antidote. Draco would want to know his decision and so would Albus. And he couldn't tell them yet.

No, talking to Draco would have to wait. He'd better stay out of sight until classes had started again. But where was a place Draco wasn't likely to look for him?

 

 

Severus knocked on the door to Filch's office.

No reaction. Of course not. He finally remembered that the caretaker was most likely at lunch in the great hall with everybody else.

Now what? Leave? No.

"Alohomora."

The door opened easily and Severus walked in. Corvus looked up and cocked his head at him. He'd been playing with some confiscated items he'd found in a drawer that for some reason had been left open and was reluctant to give up his game.

Severus walked over and offered his arm to the bird. Corvus hopped on his shoulder and started tussling his hair affectionately.

Severus smiled. That was how it always should be. Raven on one arm, hedgehog on the other.

Corvus had at first not been too sure what to make of Greenie, but he'd soon discovered that hedgehogs weren't edible. Greenie had simply curled into a tight spiky ball whenever he'd tried. A raven's beak might not be sensitive to a hedgehogs spikes, but his feet sure were. Corvus had soon given up on the idea of playing with Greenie and was now generally ignoring him except for the occasional jealous glance. Why could the hedgehog go with Severus while he was expected to stay in Filch's stuffy office all the time?

Filch arrived with Mrs Norris on his heels to find his office door open and Severus inside playing with his bird.

Mrs Norris gave an angry huff at that sight and turned to walk off tail held high.

"Oh, come on my dear." Filch tried to convince her. "Severus won't harm you."

Mrs Norris ignored him and stalked away. As if this was about getting hurt. Severus was invading her home. Filch's office belonged to her, after all. She tolerated Filch, because she needed someone to feed her and Corvus was acceptable too, but boys were supposed to stay out. Why couldn't Severus and that blonde friend of his remember that properly?

Filch was used to his cat's ways by now. He watched her go shaking his head then closed the door behind him and turned his attention towards Severus.

"You weren't at lunch." he stated pretending that he didn't really care.

"I didn't feel like it."

"Oh?" Filch walked over to one of the boards and picked a file at random.

"Albus has the antidote."

Filch sat down at his desk and opened the file. He leaved through it for a moment.

"So why are you still a boy? Don't you have better things to do?"

"I'm not sure."

Filch turned another page.

"Not sure about what?"

"I'm not sure which I should be boy or adult."

"Adult, of course. It's way better. You get to scare all the little brats and you don't have to be in bed at ten. No OWLs either." he added.

Severus scowled. Had he complained about having to do the OWLs again this much?

"But I'd have to leave Draco. He's my friend and he'd be lonely without me."

Filch pushed the file into a more comfortable position on his desk.

"Why? Are you planning to go anywhere? I thought you worked here and the boy lives here. So how'd you be leaving him?"

"I wouldn't be his age anymore. He needs someone to confide in. Else he'll end up a death eater like his Dad."

Filch turned another page.

"Why shouldn't he confide in an adult? Seems much more sensible to me."

"Kids aren't sensible. They need their friends to be their own age."

"Do they?"

Severus sighed. Do kids need their friends to be their own age? That question didn't make sense. ... Or did it?

Filch finally looked up from his file.

"Severus, an adult is what you're supposed to be. It's where you belong. This whole thing was an unfortunate accident that should never have happened and now it's time to right the mistake."

Severus sighed again and gently pushed Corvus off his shoulder.

"I'll think about it." he promised.

"Talk to Draco. Tell him you have to return to what you really are. I think he'll understand." advised Filch returning to his file.

"Okay, I will." promised Severus.

Filch did not respond and Severus quietly left the caretaker's office to look for his friend.

Once the door had closed behind him Filch picked up his file and gave it a closer look. 'The  
Weasley twins. I should have known.' After all half of the files in his office were on the  
Weasley twins.

 

 

Lunch was over and there were only a few stragglers left in the great hall. Draco was not among them.

Severus decided to look in the Slytherin common room, then their dorm and finally even checked the bathroom. No Draco.

"Where could he be?" he asked Greenie.

"Sniff?" answered the hedgehog. 'What are we looking for? I didn't get any lunch.'

Severus decided that Greenie was probably not the right person to ask and turned to Vincent and Gregory on his way back out. They were playing chess in the common room. A difficult task. Vincent was one of the worst players Severus had ever met, but against Gregory he usually won hands down.

"Do you guys have any idea where Draco is?"

Vincent moved a pawn to exactly the wrong field and looked up.

"Looking for you."

Gregory was puzzling helplessly over the board. He should have taken the pawn Vincent had just moved, but obviously that hadn't occurred to him.

"Any idea where he's looking?"

"I think he muttered something about asking McGonnagal." said Vincent. "Come on Gregory, make your move."

Gregory however still hadn't decided what to do. Severus left the common room shaking his head. Whatever had possessed those two to play chess of all things? Well, maybe they'd had a lot of time on their hands with nothing to do. That game would certainly take up lots and lots of time.

When he reached McGonnagal's office he found it locked. Minerva was obviously not here. He considered waiting for her to return, but he wasn't here to see her and Draco would most likely have gone to look somewhere else.

Severus decided to try the library. He usually spent a lot of time there after all so that might be where Draco had gone.

He turned and walked down the hallway leading towards the library. Turning the next corner he ran into Professor McGonnagal who stared at him in surprise.

"Severus? What are you still doing here? I thought Albus finally had found the antidote.

"No Albus didn't FIND anything, but yes, he does have the antidote."

"So why are you still here?"

"I'm looking for Draco. You don't happen to have seen him?"

"No, but that's not what I meant. Why are you still a boy?"

"Because I need to talk to Draco and because I'm not even sure I want to be turned back."

"Why not? I thought you hated being a child."

"I don't know." Severus shrugged. "I can't just walk out on Draco like this, I guess. And it wasn't all bad. I had a lot of fun too. It was much better then the first time around at least."

Minerva sighed as she realised what Severus' problem was.

"Because of Draco?" she asked gently. "Because this time you had a friend?"

Severus nodded not looking her in the eyes. It was hard to confess this, but she was right of course. Having a friend had changed everything.

"And now you think you're deserting your friend by going back to being an adult."

Severus nodded again. How did Minerva know all these things? How could she tell him so clearly everything he couldn't put into words?

"Severus, Draco doesn't need you. He's a very popular boy. He has lots of friends. Of course he'll miss you, but you're not leaving him lonely."

"He doesn't." Severus shook his head. "He's never had any real friends and he broke up with all his false friends because of me."

"False friends? Crabbe and Goyle ..."

"Crabbe and Goyle needed someone with some brains to lead them so they didn't have to make their own choices. And an alliance with the Malfoys can be rather profitable.

"But they'd still want that wouldn't they?"

"Gregory maybe, but Crabbe has discovered his own brain and Gregory will most likely continue to follow him. They might not actually fight Draco, but they wont follow him the way they used to either."

"Still he has other friends."

"And I repeat: No real ones."

Minerva shook her head smiling.

"Severus, I think you're overestimating your importance to Mr. Malfoy. I know you needed him and it's amazing how well you two get along, but he got by fine without you before. He will do so again."

"But ...

"You're projecting your own feelings for Draco to him. You were lonely and desperately needed a friend. Now you're thinking about how you'd feel if you lost that friend again, but you'll no longer need him once you are an adult again. You'll have your old friends back. Everything will go back to normal. ... And you wont have to take the OWLs. "

Severus scowled. What made her think she could predict the future? Have his old friends back? What friends? Well, Albus, but who else? There were no others. Well, Remus and Filch maybe, but he had only come close to them since he'd been a child again. Maybe they just pitied him and would go back to normal once he was an adult again.

Back to normal. Normal hadn't been all that great for him. He'd always been unhappy with his life. Maybe he was even happier now. He wasn't sure.

"I still need to talk to Draco. Any idea where he might be?"

"In your common room?" Minerva suggested.

"No, I've already looked there."

"The quiddich field?"

Now that was a possibility. Severus checked the library first anyway, but Draco wasn't there. So he went out to the quiddich field as Minerva had suggested and indeed he found Draco in the broom shed.

"Severus! There you are. I've been looking for you all through lunch break. Where were you all this time?" Draco greeted him.

"Well, Albus called me to his office."

"But you can't have been talking to Dumbledore all this time. He was at lunch, you know. And I don't think he has mastered the art of being in two places at once."

"I wouldn't put it beyond him."

Draco looked at Severus doubtfully.

"You have no idea how powerful Albus really is Draco. There's a reason Voldemort is afraid of him."

"But my father says that being in two places at once is absolutely impossible. Even with the strongest magic. "

"Your father doesn't know everything, Draco. He might be powerful, but he'll never reach up to Albus. No one does."

"Then ... then it is possible to be in two places at once?" asked Draco excitedly.

"As far as I know it isn't, but Albus might think differently about that."

Draco pondered that for a while and did come up with one conclusion.

"You were not with Dumbledore all this time."

"No."

"So where were you?" insisted Daco.

He was a little worried. Severus was obviously avoiding answering his question and that couldn't be good. He usually told Draco everything. Even his most daring pranks.

"Well, first I talked with Albus then I went back to the dorm to get Greenie, here." Severus said cuddling his little hedgehog.

"Sniff!" confirmed Greenie.

"Then I had a little talk with Remus, went to see Corvus and after that I went looking for you, but ran into McGonnagal instead."

Draco thought that answer over for a moment. It seemed like Severus had indeed answered his question, but he felt like he had evaded him once again. Just where exactly was that evasion hidden? What had Severus not told him?

"You went to see Corvus without me?" he pouted to buy some time to think.

"Sorry, Rascal." Severus smiled. "But you were still at lunch and I didn't feel like eating."

That's when Draco realised what Severus had never said.

"Why? What did Dumbledore want with you?"

"He ... he told me that ... that they'd found an antidote."

Draco stood staring at Severus for nearly a minute trying to fully comprehend what his friend had just said.

"So you've come to say good bye." he said finally, tonelessly. "I'll miss you."

"Draco ... I ... I'm not sure what I'm gonna do yet. I don't want to just walk out and leave you. You are the best friend I've ever had and we had such a great time together. I'd never want to hurt you."

"But it's what you wanted all the time. We tried so much to find that antidote and it's the only way to get rid of Mary Sue. You'll save everyone with that. I bet even the other teachers will be grateful if you relieve them of her presence."

"So you want me to do it?"

"Want it? No I don't want it, but it's the right thing to do, I suppose. But I'll miss you. I'll be terribly lonely without you. You'll have all your old friends back, but I can't go back to pretending to be someone else. They wont believe it anymore and even if they would, I now know what it's like to have a real friend. I'll never feel comfortable with them again. Not that I ever really did."

"Old friends? The only real friend I ever had before you is Albus. I miss him right now, but if I do take that antidote I'll miss you just the same. I don't know how to choose, Draco. I want both of you, but it seems I can never have that."

"You'll remember me? As your childhood friend?" asked Draco hopefully. "And maybe someday when I grow up ... "

"I could never forget you and I haven't even made my choice yet. But no matter what my decision will be, I'll always be there for you. I always did like you and I always will. Even if I decide to be a teacher again. "

"You'll have to be an adult for your revenge against my father." said Draco suddenly. "You'll have to change back."

"Maybe you are better than revenge. Voldemort and Lucius think they own you like they once owned me. If I can keep you save from them maybe that is better payback than anything I could ever do to Lucius."

"But to do that you have to be an adult." mumbled Draco unhappily.

"Do I?" Severus asked in surprise.

He'd never even considered having any chance to save Draco as an adult. That Draco saw it exactly the opposite way was a mild shock.

"Of course. How could a boy ever protect me from my father? Whatever way you look at it the best thing for you is to return to being an adult."

Severus thought about that. From the logical point of view it was all clear, but his heart told him to stay a boy, stay with Draco.

"I have to talk with Albus. Maybe he can clear all this up. He has the antidote anyway. I guess I'll just have to let his arguments decide this.

Severus turned to return to the castle.

"No wait!" shouted Draco suddenly. "Wait here for a moment. There's something I want you to have, before you go.

Draco raced back into the school nearly knocking over a couple of third years on their way to Hagrid's hut for their care for magical creatures lesson. He ran into the dungeons and through the common room past housemates getting ready for their next lessons.

"Draco! We already thought you would be late." Gregory said as he rushed into the dorm and to his trunk.

"I will be." Draco answered as he threw it open.

"What? Why?"

"Severus might be leaving. I've got to say good bye." Draco said digging through the contents of his trunk.

"Leaving? What do you mean leaving? Where's he going?" asked Vincent, but Draco didn't seem to have heard him.

He'd finally found what he'd been looking for. The picture of the dragon bard and his ballad. It was his best work so far and the one thing he had never shown Severus. He'd done this one on his own and he was terribly proud of it.

Without another word Draco turned and ran back out. When he got back to where Severus was waiting he was panting so badly he had to sit down in the grass unable to speak to catch his breath.

He just held out the parchment to his friend. Severus looked at him quizzically.

"To ... re ... remember me by." Draco panted.

Severus slowly sat down beside him.

"Thanks, but I'm still not sure I'm leaving."

"I... I want you to ... have it ... anyway."

Severus nodded quietly. They sat there for a while until Draco had recovered. Than Severus finally got up to go talk to Dumbledore and make his choice.

Draco remained behind. He knew he should go to class, but he didn't feel up to it. He walked over to the lake and sat on a rock staring out over the water, waiting.

 

Still to come: What will Severus' decision be? Draco and a bunch of Gryffindors have a surprise for Severus, and another prank


	18. A Decision Made

Chapter 18: A Decision Made

 

Draco stared out over the lake watching the small waves formed by the wind ripple over the surface. He lost himself in the patterns formed by them trying to forget why he was sitting here, what he was waiting for. He looked at the pebbles and grass at his feet, watched the clouds pass by in the sky, but whatever he did he kept his back turned towards the castle. He didn't want to see it, didn't want to know what was going on inside.

It seemed to him that he sat there for an eternity ... or maybe just for a few minutes. He never consciously thought about the friend he was about to loose, or as a small voice of hope kept whispering somewhere deep in the back of his mind was going to keep forever, but still the thought was always with him.

The sun was reflected on the water creating patches of light blinking happily that remained only for the wink of an eye as the waves moved on to be replaced by others and then others yet again.

Draco tried to predict them, guess the combination of the light and the movement of the waves. It was fascinating how so peaceful a scene could also be in constant ever changing motion.

"Draco?" came a voice behind him.

He recognised the voice, but he wished he could ignore it, wished he could remain here staring at the lake and the waves the moment frozen forever.

Still he turned around fighting down the tears. 'It had to be done. It was the right thing to do.' he reminded himself.

"Professor?"

"I believe I must have said this about a hundred times in this last year: My name's Severus." Severus Snape said smiling as he sat down beside him.

And Draco smiled and threw his arms around him hugging him tightly. It was good to have him back no matter what he looked like. Maybe they couldn't go to school together, maybe there would be no more pranks and fights against the other Slytherins, but it was still good not to be alone.

Severus held Draco for a while until he thought that the boy had calmed down sufficiently.

"I'll be gone a lot during the weekend. There are some things in Hogsmede and London that need to be put in order, but you can always come to me when I'm here and you can tell me anything. I know I'm a bit old for you, but I'll always be your friend."

Draco looked up at him. He didn't look old to him, actually he seemed a little younger than Draco remembered him, but maybe that was just because he was smiling. It was that same smile he'd had as a boy and Draco was sure he'd never seen it in the adult before. He'd hardly ever seen Professor Snape smile at all and for a moment a small part of his mind wondered how many of the other kids ever had.

"You're not old." he smiled at his friend. "But. you might regret that offer after a while. I'll be after you night and day."

"I'll be glad to see you, believe me. You'll find me in Professor Calligra's former office for the time being. Mary Sue decided to leave us on Friday evening, but I'll give my room a weekend's time to lose some of her smell. It'll be hard enough to sleep in there the way it looks now. I don't want to put up with the smell as well.

"Can I help you move in?" Draco asked grinning.

"And what about your classes?"

"I've missed most of them anyway. Please? I'll be a good boy and work real hard to catch up tomorrow."

"Okay, but I'll be testing your knowledge." laughed Severus.

 

 

Mary Sue was indeed gone by dinnertime on Friday. Hardly anybody seemed to miss her.

When Professor Snape arrived in the great hall for dinner and claimed his old chair back cheers went up from the pupils and Draco noted with satisfaction that the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were cheering just as loudly as the Slytherins.

The Ravenclaws were a little less vocal, but that was normal for them. They never did create much of a racket.

Draco smiled over at his friend triumphantly and Severus winked back at him before turning back to his meal and feeding Greenie.

"Hey Draco, do you miss him!" asked Vincent suddenly.

Draco looked over at his former friend feeling unsure of himself. Why had Vincent asked that question? How should he react?

"I'm glad to have him back as a teacher. He's way better than Mary Sue."

"We all are, but that's not what I meant." said Vincent.

"Then what did you mean?"

"Well, you two were inseparable all this year. You wouldn't even talk to any of us at times.

Draco stared down at his plate. Yes, he had been neglecting his other friends. In a way it was his own fault that he was feeling lonely right now.

"I was just thinking how I'd feel if Greg wasn't in our dorm anymore." Vincent went on. "I don't think I could stand that. So do you miss him?"

"A little." admitted Draco softly. "He's still here after all and we still talk and draw together, but I guess it will be lonely to go to classes without him."

"You can sit with us again, if the teachers let you." said Vincent. "If you want to, that is."

"That'd be nice, but I don't think they'd allow three of us to a desk." Draco smiled at Vincent.

Maybe it wasn't going to be all that bad with his old friends.

"I know, I just thought you might want to sit close again. Like we used to." explained Vincent.

"Yeah." said Gregory. "Come back, Draco."

"As long as it doesn't mean one of us has to sit with Blaise again. I'll never forgive him."

"So you're staying all alone in transfigurations?" asked Gregory frowning.

"McGonagall said I couldn't change places again anyway. And I'll ask Severus if I can work with you in potions. There'll have to be one team of three after all. Might as well be us."

"Okay, shake." Vincent held out one huge hand.

Draco took it and laughed despite the pain when Gregory's iron grip descended over his. The trio was back together even if Vincent seemed to have taken the lead. Draco didn't mind. He wouldn't be taking part in anything he didn't like anyway. He'd just be the independent partner.

He looked back up towards the head table and saw Severus smile at him. Draco smiled back. 'Yes, everything's okay. I'll get by just fine with my old friends. Don't worry about me.'

Severus nodded at him and got up. He walked past the headmaster's seat on his way out of the hall, bent down to talk to Dumbledore for a moment and then headed for the door. Draco wondered about the little detour for a moment until a loud BOOM cleared things up.

This time it was the teachers, who were all covered in soup.

Dumbledore sat blinking in surprise for a moment his beard dripping. Then he very, very slowly dipped his spoon into the rest of his soup and fished out what was left of the firecracker.

"Severus!"

"Sorry, Albus!"

All of a sudden the pupils overcame their shock and started laughing. Draco jumped up and raced over to Severus' side to congratulate him on his prank.

McGonagall's protests were drowned out by Hagrid's roaring laughter. Dumbledore picked up a napkin and started a hopeless attempt at drying his face and beard.

Filch who had been lucky enough to sit far enough away from Dumbledore to remain nearly dry sent Severus a very dark look, which the potions master ignored. Severus never played any pranks on Filch directly and the caretaker knew and appreciated that. He was of course setting a bad example for the students, but on the other hand very few of the kids liked him anyway so why would they imitate him?

At the Gryffindor table Neville Longbottom turned to Harry Potter and said: "Isn't he the greatest teacher ever? I've got to try that firecracker soup trick on my grandma sometime."

 

 

About an hour after dinner Ginny approached Neville in the Gryffindor common room. "Hi, Neville. Do you still have the keys to the potion dungeons?"

"Hi, Ginny." said Neville cautiously. "What keys do you mean? Why would I have any keys for the dungeons?"

"Draco says you had them and I'm to ask you if you still do."

"What do you want with them?" asked Neville.

He supposed it was okay if Draco had told her, but he didn't like the idea of giving those keys to anyone but Professor Snape who they rightfully belonged to. Maybe he ought to go and give them back right now?

"Well, we're planning a little surprise for Professor Snape, but we can't do it without those keys. Do you still have them?"

"Yes," nodded Neville. "but you'll have to tell me exactly what you're going to do with them before I decide if you can have them."

Ginny glanced nervously through the room checking for any listeners. There was nobody near enough to have been listening in on their conversation, but that wasn't good enough for Ginny. She bent and whispered their plan into Neville's ear. Neville's eyes grew very wide.

"That's a great idea Ginny, but you're gonna need all sorts of stuff for it. Where do you plan to get all of that?"

"Draco's gonna ask Mr. Filch to lend us his tools, but we need to know if we can have the key first. Will you help us?"

Neville thought it over for only a moment.

"Who else is gonna be part of this?" he asked excitedly.

"So far only Draco and me. And you if you want to. We're planning to ask a few others once we are sure we can go through with it."

"Okay, count me in."

 

 

Half an hour later Neville and Ginny stopped Harry and his gang on their way back into the castle after visiting Hagrid.

"Harry, is it true that you know a secret passage into Hogsmeade?" asked Ginny.

Harry and his friends exchanged quick nervous glances.

"You don't have to tell us where it is, if you don't want to." Neville said quickly. "We just need somebody to sneak to Hogsmeade tomorrow morning and buy some stuff for us. Could you do that?"

"What do you need?" asked Harry.

Ginny handed him the shopping list. Ron and Hermione stared at the parchment over Harry's shoulder.

"What do you need all that for?" demanded Hermione sternly.

"We're planning a surprise for Professor Snape." explained Neville.

"Sort of a welcome home gift." added Ginny.

"What exactly are you going to do?" asked Harry curiously.

Ginny whispered into his ear. Harry turned to talk it over with Ron and Hermione.

Ginny and Neville waited with their fingers crossed. If they couldn't find a partner who knew how to sneak into the village, they could forget their whole plan.

"Oh, that's such a sweet idea!" exclaimed Hermione.

'Yes!' thought Ginny. 'They're gonna do it.'

"No, I don't see why we should risk detention for Snape." announced Ron.

"Oh, come on, Ron. After all that we've been through with Mary Sue we should really show Snape how much we appreciate his return." Harry tried to convince him.

"At least hear them out, Ron!" advised Hermione.

"All right. Who else is part of that plan?" Ron asked his sister.

"So far only Draco and us, And Filch promised us that we could use some of his tools."

"We didn't ask anyone else yet, because he doesn't have everything we need." explained Neville. "Without the shopping trip. to Hogsmeade we can't get to work."

"No problem." promised Harry. "We'll get everything right after breakfast tomorrow morning so we can start working before lunch. Right Ron?"

"No way!" protested Ron. "I'm not working together with either Malfoy or Filch."

"Oh come on, I'll need someone to help me carry all that stuff back here." begged Harry.

"Not me. I'm not going to have anything to do with that idiotic plan of yours."

"Ron ..."

"It's okay, Harry." Hermione said to everybody's surprise. "I'll go with you."

"Great!" exclaimed Neville. "Now all we need are a few more people to help with the work."

"Let's ask Dean and Seamus." suggested Harry. "I'm sure they'll love your idea. They missed Snape a lot too."

Indeed the two Gryffindors were easily won over and so was Susan from Slytherin. They didn't ask the twins as they feared that they'd add some nasty pranks to their plan and Vincent and Gregory already had made different plans for their weekend.

"Never mind." Draco told them. "We've already got enough helpers to manage with. Have fun and we'll show you when we're done."

 

 

Saturday at lunch the teachers were treated to the surprising sight of two Slytherins arriving late for the meal in the company of a bunch of Gryffindors all chatting and laughing amiably.

Strange. And what was that strange black stain on Neville Longbottom's cheek? It didn't quite look like ink, but maybe that was just a trick of the light.

The same group arrived late for dinner in much the same fashion and this time several kids wore black stains that looked a little too dark to be ink.

Severus Snape was the only teacher who didn't notice anything unusual. He'd had lunch in London and arrived for dinner much too late to see the kids enter. He did notice the black stains on Draco's hands when the boy visited him about an hour after curfew, but he didn't ask him about them.

Sunday morning the group dashed out of the great hall after grabbing a few slices of toast each and several people stared after them wondering what they could possibly want in the dungeons at this time.

Minerva McGonagall noticed to her surprise that Ron Weasley was sitting alone without his friends and looked very sulky. Her attempt to ask him what was wrong met with failure however as Ron only grumbled something about people hanging out with slimy Slytherins.

During lunch on Sunday Draco and Susan sat at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the group while all the other Gryffindors gave their end of the table a wide berth and Ron strictly refused to sit down and eat at all.

Again Severus Snape was not present to see the unusual behaviour of his pupils.

He did arrive before dinner however, but this time the group didn't show up for the meal at all. When the teachers started wondering out loud where they might be Mr. Filch just grinned and assured them that he knew exactly where they were and that there was no need to worry about them.

 

 

After dinner Severus decided to take a quick look at his distorted office and try to find what was left of his potion ingredients. He'd have to get started on his shopping list as he suspected correctly that Mary Sue had most likely thrown most of his collection away to make room for her pictures and other decorations.

As he walked down into the dungeons he steeled himself for the sight of his pink classroom and office. The next thing he'd do right after the shopping was to redecorate. Maybe he could already remove some of the more disgusting items.

Walking up to his class he noticed with satisfaction that the hole in the wall had already been closed. Good old Argus Filch. He'd have to remember to thank the caretaker for his quick work.

Severus pulled out the reserve keys and pushed them into the lock. That was another thing on his to do list. Ask Neville to give his keys back. And if anyhow possible do it without scaring the boy. Poor forgetful Neville had probably meant to bring him the keys a long time ago. He didn't want to embarrass the boy or make him feel like a thief. He knew that feeling too well himself after all.

Severus turned the key in the lock and ...

CLATTER!

Neville who had been stirring paint near the door had turned hastily at the sound of the door opening and had accidentally knocked over a ladder, which had fallen onto Ginny and Susan who had as it seemed been just about to climb it and thrown over the pot of paint. Just lucky that nobody had actually been standing on the ladder yet.

Seeing that the two girls were already climbing back to their feet more surprised than hurt Severus stepped fully into the room and cast a quick look around. The kids had removed all the furniture except for two tables which Draco, Harry, Dean and Seamus were standing on painting the ceiling. Ginny and Susan had obviously intended to use the ladder for that same purpose while it was Neville's duty to supply everybody with fresh paint. Hermione was standing in the back of the room her wand raised, obviously in the middle of casting a quick drying spell on an already painted wall.

The children had repainted the whole room in it's original black colour. Only the ceiling appeared to still be pink. Painting overhead had obviously proven to be an unexpectedly difficult undertaking. The paint had dripped down from the brushes and onto the painters leaving their hands, clothes and in some cases even faces covered in black dots.

Draco jumped off his table and came over to Severus.

"I'm sorry. We didn't expect you to come down here before tomorrow morning. By then we'd have had it all done."

"Where's the furniture?" Severus asked trying hard not to laugh.

Somehow Draco had managed to get a whole streak of black paint right through his silverblond hair. Maybe somebody's brush had slipped? The paint would be hard to remove.

"In the office. We needed some room back when we did the floor."

Severus walked over into the office and found that it's walls too had been repainted and only the floor and ceiling remained. The tables and chairs from the classroom had obviously been pushed in quickly. They too had returned to their customary black while the office furniture had just been pushed aside unpainted.

"We only did the walls here and in your room so far, but we'll have the floors and ceilings done in a few hours. We decided not to touch the furniture, though as we don't think it's even yours. Mr. Filch promised to show us where Mary Sue put your stuff once we're done, but we didn't plan to brig it back in yet, because we don't know what goes where." Draco explained.

Severus took another look at the repainted furniture and room and the paint covered boy.

"Do you want to help me repair the blackboard?"

"Sure! I'd love to. How's it done?"

"With a potion of course. And that means we've got to get one of these worktables back into the room and a cauldron on the fire. And while we're at it I think we'll also need to brew a special potion to get that paint off of you kids and out off your clothes and yet another for your hair."

"Why? Wouldn't the one we're going to use on the clothes work on the hair as well?"

"With your hair colour? I doubt it. Looks like I'm going to have to wash your hair myself."

"Hey, I know how to wash my own hair!"

"Yes, but I'm not gonna let you handle a potion as strong as that. It could cause some serious damage if it got into your eyes." Severus declared sternly.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"For what? For saving me from having to bare Mary Sue's decorations for one more week?"

"No for fooling around and getting that stuff in my hair."

"That's okay. I really don't mind. Now, did you per chance see some potion ingredients in here somewhere?"

They went looking through Mary Sues drawers and cupboard, but in the end found that they had to make due with the student supplies. Of course those didn't include all the needed ingredients and Draco already feared that they'd have to give up their plan, but instead he was treated to a demonstration of the ingenuity of a true potions master at work. The students watched in awe as Severus simply adapted the recipes to fit the available ingredients.

Within one hour he produced four different potions. Then handed the first cauldron to Draco as it was.

"Put this into the water and wash the blackboard with it. Then dry it off and try to write on it. It ought to work."

Draco nodded excitedly and poured the potion into one of Filch's buckets which he had already filled with water. While he was busy washing the blackboard Snape filled the next two potions into small bottles.

"Okay kids, now don't confuse these." he warned eying Neville. "The white ones are to be used on your clothes. Rub the potion onto the stains then wash the clothes. The green ones are for the stains on your skin. Use like soap. White for clothes, green for you. Got it?"

They nodded.

"What about the fourth potion?" asked Harry.

"That's for Draco's hair and I'm applying that myself, so you don't have anything to do with it. Don't touch!"

"Why not?" asked Neville peeking into the cauldron.

Severus gently grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.

"Because it's dangerous. Get a little too much onto your body or forget to wash it off in time and it'll eat a hole into your skin.

Neville yelped and jumped back.

"It's not that dangerous, Neville. It can't kill you, but the wounds are rather unpleasant and take a long time to heal so I'd prefer if you all stayed away from it."

They nodded again.

"Now if only we get the furniture back in here, I think we're done with this room and can start on the office."

 

 

Monday morning Professor Snape arrived for class in a good mood. This surprised even himself as he couldn't even remember the last time that had happened.

His classroom and office were back to the way they should be except for the lack of most of the ingredients that ought to be in his office, but a few shopping trips to Diagon Alley ought to solve that problem easily enough. His room was still smelling slightly of perfume and they still had to bring back most of the furniture, but the smell would disappear within a few days and with the help of his little friends the furniture would be back by dinnertime.

The cockroach colony might have annoyed anybody else, but to Severus it only presented a steady supply of beetle legs, beetle eyes and hedgehog snacks.

Greenie still sniffed disgustedly whenever his nose caught a whiff of perfume or paint smell, but otherwise he seemed to like their new home. Since Severus still refused to have cornflakes for breakfast just to humour his hedgehog and Minerva McGonagall had strictly refused him any taste of hers Greenie had decided that it was from now on Albus' duty to serve him breakfast. The headmaster didn't seem to mind sharing his plate with a little green hedgehog. Or maybe he hadn't noticed? Anything was possible where Albus Dumbledore was concerned.

Severus' first class of the week was the first years Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. He barely knew those kids at all. He'd only taught them for a few weeks before his accident and he shuddered to think how little they'd probably learned from Albus and Mary Sue.

He sat Greenie on his desk stopping for a moment to admire the new black paint. 'Thank you, Draco. You're the best.'

Then he proceeded to check for any absences. Every body there. Excellent. Now to check their knowledge.

One little girl tentatively raised her hand before he could even ask any questions. He nodded at her.

"Sir, please don't laugh at this, but there's a green hedgehog on your desk." she reported.

"I know. I put him there."

"Oh." said the little girl sounding confused.

Severus suppressed a wave of giggles and asked the students how to brew a shrinking solution instead.

The results were better than expected. Putting their minds together the children were actually able to reconstruct the recipe. His students were usually better than that, but their knowledge was sufficient. Maybe Albus was an okay potions teacher after all, if there was no actual potions master around to confuse him?

'I'll have to tell Albus that he did well with the children. He worked hard for those lessons after all.' he thought. 'On to the next potion.'

A little boy raised his hand.

"Sir! Sir! The green hedgehog on your desk is eating your potion ingredients!"

"I know. I put them there."

"Huh?"

"They're meant to be hedgehog food. I don't intend to actually brew anything in class today. I have to check your knowledge first. We're not going to start on anything new if I find that you don't know any of the old stuff."

"Oh."

"On with the quiz: What is the main ingredient for all growth potions?" Severus demanded.

Flapp, flapp.

"A dragon's tooth."

"Thank you, Corvus. But I was asking the children."

The children stared and pointed.

"That bird talks!" shouted somebody excitedly.

"Yes, it's a raven. Ravens talk." stated Severus.

"What's the raven doing here?"

"Bringing me a letter it seems." said Severus reaching to untie the ribbon from Corvus' leg.

"Are ravens owls?" asked one obviously muggle born little boy.

"No, they're not."

"Then why does the raven bring you a letter?"

"Because I trained him to do that."

"Oh."

"Is it your raven?" asked the little girl that had originally spotted Greenie.

"Yes, he is." sighed Severus.

Wasn't he the one who was supposed to ask the children questions?

"What's his name?"

"Corvus."

"Why's his name Corvos?"

"Not Corvos, Corvus. That's Latin for raven."

"Oh."

"Why did you put the hedgehog on your desk?"

"Because I like to have him with me when teaching. He's my pet."

"I thought Corvus was your pet?"

"He is. I have two pets."

"Why can you have two pets? We're only allowed one each."

"Because I'm an adult. I can have as many pets as I want to."

"Oh."

"What does the letter say?"

"Nothing."

"Why nothing?"

"Because I haven't read it yet."

"When are you going to read it?"

"After the lesson."

"Oh."

"What's the hedgehog's name?"

"Greenie."

"Why's he called Greenie?" asked a little blond Hufflepuff.

"Obviously because he's green, you idiot!" shouted a Ravenclaw rolling her eyes.

"Five points off Ravenclaw for insulting a fellow student!" announced Severus to everyone's surprise.

He sent Corvus back to his room, before he went back to questioning the children. The raven knew potions too well. He'd have expertly answered all questions for them.

"Why can't Corvus stay and learn with us?"

"Because he's not on your level."

"Not?"

"No, he's a seventh year."

"Huh?"

Severus went on with the quiz leaving the children to puzzle over that last answer on their own.

It turned out to be quite obvious where Mary Sue had taken over from Albus. The kids were able to reconstruct most of what they'd learned from Dumbedore with only a little help here and there. About the things they'd learned from Mary Sue there was complete confusion. They had forgotten some things Albus had told them, but had misunderstood most of Mary Sue's explanations.

By the end of the lesson Severus knew that he'd have to pick up right where Albus had left off. Trying to reconstruct anything the class had done after that was futile.

His next class a group of third years was no different. They had a slightly better idea of what Mary Sue had been talking about, as they'd already known some of the basics from their first two years, but still Severus didn't trust them to actually brew any of the potions Mary Sue had taught them without serious accidents.

He arrived at lunch in such a bad mood that Dumbledore actually asked him what was wrong. That was unusual as the staff was used to Severus' constantly bad mood. Was it that much worse today?

"I'll have to start over on almost everything my pupils were supposed to learn this year. They didn't understand anything of what they were taught."

"I'm sorry, Severus." said Dumbledore. "I tried my best, but I had no idea your job was so difficult. I just didn't ... "

"Albus, its not your fault. They'll be able to live with what they learned in your lessons. Mary Sue's the one who messed up. She couldn't explain things properly and she made the poor kids read books that were way too complicated for their levels. You did fine, really."

"Well, I'm sorry for hiring Mary Sue then, but I couldn't find anybody else willing to attempt to fill your shoes. I guess it just went to prove what my potions master is worth."

 

 

That evening Albus Dumbledore took a walk along the edge of the forbidden forest. It was a beautiful evening and his first chance to relax a little in a long time. The school year was almost over and all his pupils and teachers were for once safe and unharmed. Severus Snape was back, Mary Sue Blackwell gone and it even seemed like Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were getting along for once. Life at Hogwarts couldn't be any better in the eyes of the headmaster.

He walked on breathing in the cool fresh air deeply and thinking back on the school year. It had been an eventful one and at times he had felt like it was all too much, that this couldn't possibly end well. But it had. Severus really seemed to have learned something from his experience, Albus himself had grown to respect him more and finally come to understand the problems of Slytherin house and even the pupils seemed to have found a new respect for the potions master. And maybe, just maybe, the youngest Malfoy wasn't all that bad after all.

A sudden rattling and snarling startled Albus. He froze wand ready to defend himself against the approaching monster.

Three small shapes appeared for a few moments from out under a bush, but decided they didn't like it out in the open and returned into the forest.

Albus laughed at himself. The only man feared by the dark lord himself, scared of a hedgehog family. Shaking his head he resumed his walk smiling at the thought of the little hedgehog mother and her two babies.

Albus stopped in mid movement. He returned to where he had seen the hedgehogs, but couldn't find them anymore. Had he really just seen a green baby hedgehog? No that couldn't be. There was only one green hedgehog in the world and that one was fully grown. It must have been a trick of the fading light.

With one last amused shake of his head Albus Dumbledore turned to return to the castle. If he was already seeing green hedgehogs it was really time for bed.

 

Still to come: the epilogue


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

 

Knock, knock, knock!

"Professor Potter! Professor Potter!"

Knock, knock, knock!

Sabrina Potter sighed and stopped, brushing her bushy brown hair. Wild hair was a typical family trait of the Potters. It seemed that no Potter could ever get their hair into any semblance of order. Maybe it was an old curse on the family.

Knock, knock, knockknockknock ...

And never getting any time for oneself seemed to be an old curse on the position of head of house of Gryffindor. Sabrina sighed again and walked over to the door. It was the 8th September 2345 and she'd only held that position for about a week. Right now she wished she had never accepted when headmaster Lee had offered it to her. She'd really had enough work to do already when she'd only thought charms.

"Professor Potter! Professor Potter!"

Sabrina opened the door and groaned inwardly. Whoever had made Lisa Lockhart a prefect must have been either very drunk or entirely out of their mind. The blonde girl was the worst airhead Sabrina had ever met and it was nearly impossible to shut her up. She didn't even stop chatting happily when asked a question during an exam. Not that what she said ever had more than the faintest connection with the subject.

"Miss Lockhart, it is nearly midnight. Could you please explain to me what you're doing out of bed at this hour?" she demanded angrily.

"Oh, Professor Potter, Professor Potter!"

"Yes, that's my name. Now please tell me why you're not sound asleep. You're supposed to set a good example for the younger students."

"Oh, it's horrible, so horrible! I don't know what to do!"

"How about either telling me what the problem is or going back to bed?" suggested Sabrina fighting down the urge to slap the girl.

"I can't find them! They're gone! Oh, Professor Potter, you have to help me."

"What can't you find this time? Your makeup? Your favourite robes? Your shoes? No wait! It's your homework and schoolbooks again, right?"

"I went into their dorm to check if they're all asleep and they were all gone!"

"Checking up on bedtime is not your job, Miss Lockhart. Its mine and I assure you that everybody was asleep half an hour ago."

"But now they're gone!" wailed Lisa.

"Who? Who is gone?" shouted Sabrina.

That seemed to have gotten through to Lisa.

"The first years! Oh, I've lost the first years!"

"Which ones?" Sabrina asked alarmed. "All of them?"

"No, no just three of the girls. Oh, it's so horrible, horrible. What am I going to do?"

"Which three? Tell me their names!" ordered Sabrina.

"I don't know. They've only been here for a week. I didn't bother to learn their names yet. Oh, what to do? What to do?"

"Can you tell me what they look like?" Sabrina tried.

"Nooooo! Their dorm mates say they've gone to the forbidden forest. Oh, no, no, nononono!"

Was it legally permitted to grab a student by the shoulders and shake her? Probably not and Sabrina also doubted that it would have any effect on Lisa. Lisa wasn't hysteric. She was just being herself. Shaking her couldn't bring out any logic if there was none there in the first place. Then her words suddenly sank in.

"The forbidden forest! We have to alert the headmaster at once! Come on!"

"No!" shrieked Lisa. "I can't! I'm not wearing any lipstick! I've got to go do my makeup first."

"That's alright. I'll go to Professor Lee alone. Go back to bed and ... and see that we don't lose any more pupils."

Sabrina dashed off towards the headmaster's office hoping that Lisa for once had understood what she was supposed to do. 'Three more years, only three more years until she graduates and she's the last Lockhart for a while.' she reminded herself.

Half an hour later the whole staff had been alerted and they were searching the forest in teams of two. Sabrina to her dismay had been paired with the DADA teacher and head of Slytherin.

Sometimes she wished she could just throttle Lazarus Longbottom. She hated those sarcastic Slytherins. Unluckily Professor Longbottom was also the deputy headmaster, which meant physically assaulting him was not an option.

'I bet it's those Slytherin kids we're looking for anyway.' she thought.

The fact that a Malfoy had been sorted into Gryffindor this year actually wasn't all that unusual. It happened every once in a while. Legend had it that there was a Weasley ancestor somewhere in the Malfoy family tree. Sabrina supposed that might be correct. It would at least explain why both the Weasleys and the Malfoys were notorious pranksters and there was the occasional redhead among the traditionally silver blond Malfoys.

What had indeed surprised everybody was that a Snape had also been sorted into Gryffindor. Snapes were Slytherins even though the family was known to produce an occasional Ravenclaw every once in a while. As far as Sabrina Potter knew there had never been a single Snape in Gryffindor. They just didn't fit in there.

Of course, the Snapes were closely related to the Malfoys. They were even worse pranksters than the Weasleys and much harder to keep in check due to their famous intelligence. Not that the Malfoys weren't clever as well, but they did have to work for their grades. The Snapes always passed their exams with ease. Sabrina hated both families. They were Slytherins after all.

And now a Malfoy and a Snape had been sorted into her house and promptly gone missing. It had to be them. Who else would risk such a stupid stunt only one week into school? She was only wondering who the third girl might be. There was a Weasley among the second years. Maybe it was her? But according to Lisa it was three first years that had gone missing and she'd also said that she didn't know their names. Lisa might be an airhead, but she did know Jessie Weasley.

Lazarus was complaining every step of the way. Why couldn't he just shut up?

"Can't you keep a better eye on your brats? Where do they get these ideas?" he growled.

"My guess is it was YOUR Malfoy twins that set them up to it." hissed Sabrina.

"The Malfoy twins? Why would they?"

"Because they thought it a good prank? Their record for causing trouble is well known by everybody in this school."

"And what would they have to do with a bunch of Gryffindor first years? After only one week of school?"

"Their sister's one of these first years. Of course they'd know how to manipulate her."

"Hah! You're just trying to make excuses for your own incompetence. Admit it. The Position of head of house is a little too much for you. You're too young."

Sabrina reached for her wand.

"Too young?! I'll show ..."

"WE FOUND THEM!"

Both teachers immediately forgot about their fight and hurried to where they'd heard the voice coming from.

"THEY'RE HERE!"

Now that they got closer Sabrina recognised the voice of Professor Morpheus Lupin the herbology teacher. Another Slytherin! He had been partnered with Michael McGonnagal the head boy, she remembered.

Great! Sabrina rolled her eyes. Now she owed a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff for finding her students.

Following Morpheus' calls they arrived at a small clearing not far from the forest's edge. At least the children had been cautious enough not to walk too deep into the woods.

"Hello, Professor!" Arria Snape greeted her with a wide grin. "Its quite an honour to meet you here. Especially as I hear that all of you came just for us."

Sabrina stared at the girl dumbfounded. That was exactly why she hated the Snapes. They had no respect for anyone. As she had no idea what to say to that she turned her attention to the next delinquent.

"I got one!" announced Haley Malfoy proudly presenting a small spiky ball she'd been holding in her hands.

"You've got what?" Sabrina asked completely confused.

"A green hedgehog. What else did you think we'd go into the forest for?"

Sabrina ground her teeth. She hated that annoying tradition of the Slytherins to keep these odd, useless creatures they referred to as greenies for pets. Nobody even knew how it had all started.

There were rumours though that claimed that a former head of house of Slytherin had originally created the green hedgehogs for the very purpose of keeping them as pets. Some even claimed that it had been Severus Snape himself. That was ridiculous of course as everybody knew that Severus Snape's pet had been a raven that he'd used to smuggle messages to Albus Dumbledore during the war against Voldemort. He had not owned something as laughable as a green hedgehog!

That of course didn't keep the Slytherins from keeping the rare creatures that were found only around Hogwarts as their traditional pets and claiming them to be the second house animal.

And now they were transferring that to her Gryffindors!

"A green hedgehog? What would you want a green hedgehog for? Only Slytherins have green hedgehogs. You are Gryffindors."

"No I'm not!" protested Arria at once. "The sorting hat made a mistake. I should have been a Slytherin and so should Haley."

Sabrina secretly agreed with her on that. A Snape did not belong in Gryffindor.

"Well, you're Gryffindors now and will have to live with it. And Gryffindors don't keep green hedgehogs."

"It's not forbidden." protested Haley. "You can't take him away from me!"

"Right, if we can't be Slytherins, we can at least have Slytherin pets." confirmed Arria.

"Maybe so, but I can owl your parents about your impossible behaviour."

"Good luck." said the third girl sounding a little depressed. "My family lives on the moon. I don't think owls can reach them there, can they?"

'Oh great, a homesick muggle born from the moon colony. Just what I needed to go with my two rebellious Slytherins.' Sabrina tried hard to remember the girl's name. Harker or some thing like that. No, no it was Harper. Althea Harper.

"Well Miss Harper, rest assured that I'll find some way of contacting your parents and I dare say that they won't be pleased."

"Yes, Professor. I'm sorry." mumbled Althea. "Do you think there's a way I could reach them too?"

"I do not think you're in any position to ask for favours, Miss Harper." Sabrina said sternly.

She had to keep her authority intact after loosing her little battles with Arria and Haley.

"And if you want green hedgehogs you will have to wait until one of the older Slytherins has babies to give away. There will be no more excursions into the forest to capture wild animals. Do you understand?"

The three girls nodded. Arria and Haley with their fingers crossed behind their backs.

"Don't cry, Thea." Arria whispered into her new friends ear on the way back to the castle. "We'll find you your hedgehog next time."

She put her arm comfortingly around the other girl's shoulders.

"My Dad can reach your parents for you." whispered Haley, who was still happily cuddling her hedgehog, into her other ear. "He owns most of the moon shuttles anyway."

"Wow, your family must be rich!"

"Of course were rich. We're Malfoys."

"Sniff!" said Haley's little green hedgehog.


End file.
